Into his 50th year of a distinguished musical career Eric Bibb releases his latest studio album, In The Real World,  in his own inimitable style.

Release Date: October 18th 2024

Label: Story Plain Records

Format: CD / Vinyl / Digital

ERIC BIBB

Meloncholic, ambient, heart-on- sleeve, insightful and thoughtful are descriptions synonymous with Eric Bibb’s music. His latest album, In The Real World, has all of these delicious elements.

Whether his songs have a religious, love interest or human rights theme, Bibb’s lyrics are succinct and are crystal clear in delivery and meaning. When you listen to his music you become engrossed in his warmth, his mind, his frailties  and his heart. “There’s a wholeness about In The Real World that deeply moves me,” Bibb reflects. “It feels like Glen Scott and I have reached a milestone on our collaborative journey. Musically, the album feels like a self-portrait because it truly represents my influences.”

Robbie Macintosh’s  guitar work is immaculate and whether acoustic or electric, oozes with precision and carefully thought out grooves. Eric Bibb  can be experimental with his blues too,  The River (Chains and Free) has an ethereal English folky violin  merging with some gospel backing vocals.

Whether the percussion is shuffling,  stomping or  filling the spaces it always enhances the mood of each song. In particular on Stealing Home , the beats are minimalist yet its presence doesn’t go unnoticed. You really become immersed in the music and feel you are sharing his experiences as he lets you into his innermost feelings.

INTO THE REAL WORLD

“It really tells me where I’ve been, where I am, and where I’m headed,” he explains. “Thematically, it’s about the you-me-we connection. It’s about the world we’ve created for ourselves and the world we long for.”

Bibb doesn’t earn the title blues legend for nothing and King of the Castle is steeped in blues roots. His vocals here are slightly harsher than his customary creamy, silky tones. Sometimes his gifted song writing enables him to blend so many facets of blues. Dear Mavis has blues roots qualities; it’s gospel-y and all wrapped up in a yearning love song.

There are parts of Roll On Buddy which are as heavy as Eric Bibb gets with a stinging guitar solo, stomping beat and   dextrous blues harmonica. It’s upbeat but  still teaming with Eric Bibb charm and style.

Into The Real World is brimming with contrasting styles, Judgement Day bears a warning softened with intricate acoustic guitar work.  The much more complex title track with string  arrangements and guitar variations for The Real World, which was  produced, arranged and mixed by Glen Scott, exemplifies the precise and immaculate music running throughout the whole album.

The joyous and hopeful final track Victory Voices, has the angelic shimmering vocals of Lily James to truly bring the album to a victorious end . An album which is as easy listening as blues gets without being mushy or banal.

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