Rewind to the Right Tracks: J.J. Cale's Rewind (Unreleased Recordings)

J.J. Cale’s Rewind (Unreleased Recordings) backtracks to a little too much twang, straight-up country on Waylon Jennings’ “Waymore’s Blues” and Leon Russell’s “My Cricket.” Yet, when the tapes land on that backstroke blues country groove, then you will be glad that the tapes have been rewound.

Even though he’s influenced Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler, among others, only Cale can lay down that groove in the same way. Grooves to hear are the trucking-down-the-highway shuffle on “Lawdy Mama,” the quick flight soul of “Bluebird,” the stomp, horn-led bluesy “Ohh La La,” the mysterious funk country “All Mama’s Children,” the strutting prowl “Guess I Lose,” and the Dire Straits source material on Eric Clapton’s “Golden Ring.” A great find here is also the inspired cover of Randy Newman’s “Rollin.”

J.J. Cale
TimeLife Entertainment