MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: THE MAVERICKS - MONO

It looks like The Mavericks reunion is holding strong, with a second strong album coming out since they reformed in 2012.  It's too bad original member Rob Reynolds isn't around anymore, fired late last year over his on-going opiate addiction, but as anyone who saw the group's shows knows, he was doing virtually nothing on stage, playing an inaudible acoustic guitar instead of the usual bass.  As the group said, they feel bad he's not able to enjoy the reunion, because it does seem like a lot of fun for them all.  Certainly this new album, Mono, feels that way.

The Mavericks always make the old stuff sound great and new, and manage to find a grand mix of styles.  What Am I Supposed To Do Without You is a pop-soul number, something new for them, but Raol Malo has the pipes for anything.  Of course, we also get the traditional mix of styles, from the 50's swing of Stories We Could Tell to the Latin pulse of What You Do To Me to the pretty fireside ballad Let It Rain (On Me) to the classic R n' B of The Only Question Is.  Although he never plays it up or gets goofy, Malo does remind me of Elvis sometimes.  He doesn't imitate him, he just can do it all, and has a voice that always makes a song seem great.  The retro vibe is played up throughout, and I love it.