RRFB’s second studio album, Colorblind, came out on Tuesday. Being the good American that I am, I placed my pre-order a couple months ago, and I was validated when my shipment arrived promptly on the release date. As a part of my pre-order, I also received a 5-song promotional with cuts from the band’s appearance at Bonnaroo this summer.

Colorblind:
This band’s evolution is remarkable. I’ve been a fan of everything they’ve done, but Colorblind has that little something that distinguishes it from Unclassified (their first studio album). For starters, “Deliver Me” is the funkiest, most soulful track they’ve ever made. The call-and-response chorus has been reverberating in my oversized cranium for days. The song is indicative of what makes this band one of a kind. When people ask me how to describe RRFB, I usually end up saying something like, “Stevie Ray Vaughan guitar licks meets jam band with driving marching band-style drum beats and a strong dose of gospel vocals.” Now that they’ve put out “Deliver Me,” I’ll have to add something about Ray Charles-esque choruses. In fact, I’ll probably just hand the inquirer a CD rather than trying to describe it. I’ve never heard anything like this. “Ain’t Nothing Wrong With That” sounds like something Outkast or Gnarls Barkley would put out with a driving beat, heavy hand claps and more call-and-response. Somebody should put this band together with Cee-Lo…the results would be legendary. “Diane” is pure fusion, featuring a deep guitar riff and layers of horns. There are also a handful of guest appearances, the most significant of those being Eric Clapton on “Jesus is Just Alright.” Finally, if you haven’t heard “Thrill of It,” then you probably don’t watch ABC Saturday night college football or late-night talk shows. The song is plastered everywhere, and rightfully so. The chorus is pretty catchy, and Randolph’s steel guitar absolutely sings during the solo. It’s a great poster-child for this album. As was the case with Unclassified, there are a few songs that don’t really represent what I like about RRFB. Someday, when they let me produce an album (Spanks would call me Bob Rock because I want to produce everybody’s next album), the result will be a non-stop, full-bore rip-fest. For now, we’ll have to settle for a few ballads and some of their more subdued stuff sprinkled in with the high-voltage material.

Bonnaroo 2006:
The first song is “Deliver Me” featuring G-Love on the harmonica. It’s nothing short of dance music. The disc also includes “Diane” and “Homecoming” from Colorblind. The Bonnaroo ‘06 tracks are more reminiscent of the 8-minute, jam band-style tracks found on Live at the Wetlands. In all, a good sampler of RRFB’s live set. I’m glad I pre-ordered and got this kick-in…even if only for the first 2 tracks.

This band has gained a lot of notoriety in the past 4 years. They’re a little too commercial and “feel-good” for guys like the Spankster, who prefer their rock bands on the heavy side. Plus some of RRFB’s lyrics are almost too positive (if that’s possible). They’re always talking about getting over life’s proverbial humps, and I could see somebody feeling like they’re at a support group rather than a concert. Not me, though. The Randolph cousins come from a well-documented rough background, so they get a waiver from me on that front. Plus, every inside nugget I’ve heard says that these guys are some of the most genuine people in the music industry. I’m more energized than ever to see this band live (why haven’t I?—the music gods have been messing with me, so it just never works out). Hell, my dad’s even seen them…so I’m missing the boat.

Overall grade: B. I can’t get into all of the tracks, but the ones I like are the kind that keep my toe tapping all day long.