CD REVIEW: JEFFREY HALFORD AND THE HEALERS – Rainmaker

Label: Shoeless Records

Release Date: April 11, 2014

Rating: 8.5/10

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

Music hits me differently depending on the day.  The latest from Jeffrey Halfod and the Healers is solid no matter the day.  The title track opens the disc and gives us a cool rock-blues hybrid that sets the pace for the rest of the disc.  “Lost Highway” kicks the disc into another gear and gives you a glimpse into the talent behind the vocals.  The guitar work is killer on this track – the electric, slide, pedal steel, and acoustic guitars all blend perfectly on this track.  “Vinyl” has a different sound from most of the tracks on the disc, but gels well in the tracklist, as it offsets the typical tracks and sounds.  The use of keyboards and organ spice this track up.  “Second Chance” is a standard blues track that gets the foot tapping before the band hits its stride in the verse.  The guitars offset the vocals nicely during the chorus and feature cool riffs during the bridge.  “Cry Of Hope” is a cool track that has a unique vibe compared to songs here.  This country-tinged song adds another dimension to the bands performance on the disc.

“Mexico” comes along and keeps the groove of the disc alive while bringing the tempo and energy down a bit.  The vocals are the star on this track, as they convey the emotion of the story being told.  “Thunderbird Motel” is another story track that benefits from the emotionally charged lyrics and vocals.  This stripped down track gives the disc a little depth by relying on less that other songs here.  “Natures Choir” and “North Beach” bring some fun to the vibe of the disc with a bit of swagger and attitude, while staying true to the sound of the band and the rest of the disc.  The former, while using more guitar work and volume, is a solid track that benefits from having the latter follow it sequentially on the disc.  “Harry We Need You” is a full-steam ahead rocker that grabs you and doesn’t let go for almost 4 minutes.  The tempo and energy of this track are infectious and lead nicely into the final track.  “Joaquin” is a mellow track that nicely wraps this tracklist and allows the band to showcase their respective talents, individually and as a group, as the sounds all mesh well on this track.

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