Music review: Keb鈥 Mo鈥 – 鈥楪ood to Be鈥︹
Keb鈥 Mo鈥 returned to his Compton roots during the pandemic and found inspiration in the familiarity of home.
鈥淕ood to Be鈥︹ is the five-time Grammy winner鈥檚 latest release, filled with a soothing blend of contemporary blues and R&B tracks that provide keen observations about savoring life鈥檚 precious moments.
鈥淕ood to Be (Home Again)鈥 opens the album and finds Keb鈥 Mo鈥 back in the neighborhood and feeling blessed as he declares, 鈥淚鈥檓 back on the saddle/Back on my horse/I鈥檓 back in town/Back to the source.鈥
Keb鈥 Mo鈥 extends the comforting emotions of coming home from a personal sentiment to a universal message as he tenderly sings, 鈥淚t鈥檚 good to be you/It鈥檚 good to be me/Good to be young, good to be old/Good to be home again.鈥
Love continues as the central theme on 鈥淪unny and Warm.鈥 This charming love declaration reflects the excitement of a blossoming romance that warms the heart and soothes the spirit with Keb鈥 Mo鈥 proclaiming, 鈥淪unny and warm is the way I like it/When I鈥檓 falling in love/It ain鈥檛 no crush, it鈥檚 forever/When the summer is gone we鈥檒l still be together.鈥
鈥淕ood Strong Woman鈥 spotlights a guest appearance from Darius Rucker. The two sing about a concerned mother鈥檚 advice to her son about the right kind of soulmate needed for a happy forever as they sing, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e gonna need a good strong woman that鈥檚 got your back/Fill you back up when you鈥檙e outta gas/A good strong woman goes a long, long way/Makes the right now better than the yesterday.鈥
Keb鈥 Mo鈥 is joined by Old Crow Medicine Show on a number that details the day-to-day struggles to find a place in this world and the solution for answers when announcing, 鈥淓verybody鈥檚 doing the best that they can/We鈥檙e all just waiting on the Medicine Man.鈥
The set comes to a gentle close with Keb鈥 Mo鈥 and Kristin Chenoweth beautifully delivering an intimate performance about a loving relationship that runs deeper than words when they sing, 鈥淏ut quiet moments are the best/When it鈥檚 just you and me speaking silently.鈥
The 70-year-old artist sums up the album鈥檚 message and puts things in the proper prospective when he sings, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell you what the future holds/It might turn to crap, it might turn to gold/Maybe the bees might teach the pigs to fly/But I鈥檓 just gonna love everybody until the day I die.鈥
It is indeed good to be home again.