OCTOBER 2008 ONLINE EDITORIALS

Chris Daniels & the Kings - Stealin' the Covers

By Nathan Harper

Chris Daniels is innocuous fun and any attempt to go deeper than that is missing the point. Stealin’ the Covers is a collection of previously recorded cover tunes with some originals thrown in to boot, all of them guitar and horn driven, none of them taking themselves too seriously. Does the world really need another cover of the Fab Four’s “In My Life” – who’s to say, I guess, but here it is, along with other recognizable tracks such as Stevie Ray Vaughn’s “Crossfire” and “Crosstown Traffic” by Hendrix. There are plenty of deeper cuts too, the group’s take on the Sam and Dave hit “634-5789” showcasing the band at its rock’n’soul driving best.

Occasionally Daniels gets in over his head, like his use of “ax” instead of “ask,” which he still says with two syllables, or his attempt at soulful R&B vocals on “Just Kissed My Baby,” where his “aww, wow, wooows” fall into the foggy area between Louie Armstrong and parody of Louie Armstrong, which, even if he’s doing it self-consciously – I never could make up my mind – is still not something you necessarily want to hear unless you’re pounding drinks and dancing your butt off at one of his shows. If you’re already a fan of this brand of rock with horns, then no doubt this CD will be a welcome addition, but if you’re not sure if you could enjoy dance music for baby boomers outside of Branson, MO then try seeing Daniels and his band live first before you commit.