Notes & Personnel Info |  | It's difficult to say bad things about an album with such good intention. While not specified for a specific disaster, Rock for Relief draws its genesis from both the Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Each of the artists involved has donated a track to the project, with the proceeds going to Mercy Corps, an organization that fights poverty in over 35 countries. The collection kicks off with a live track from its biggest star power, Jack Johnson, who delivers a typically mellow version of "Times Like These," then follows with the alternative country of Stephen Kellog & the Sixers on "Flower in the Rain." Things really get interesting on the third track when Citizen Cope offers the evocatively produced and mixed "Hurricane Waters," a song that successfully marries reggae, pop, and R&B. There's a moody cut by Howie Day, "Collide," and a soulful one by Marc Broussard, "My God." One may wish that a number of female artists had been involved in the project (perhaps they just didn't hand in their tracks on time), for variety if nothing else. It does show how lopsided the recording business is that this collection -- 12 cuts -- includes absolutely no lead female vocals (hey, why not wipe out sexism while one is wiping out other social ills?). Rock for Relief has a number of likable moments, but also comes with the added benefit that the buyer is supporting a good cause. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. |
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