Suitcase :: Education by Design Store

Editorial Review
The simple blues-informed pop charms of L.A. songwriter Kevin Moore remain unchanged on his eighth album. All twelve of these songs about romance and its triumphs and failures go down easy, thanks to his unhurried and unmannered singing, and arrangements that run slow and spare. That openness allows Moore's slide playing, perfected on the porch of Mississippi delta bluesman Eugene Powell, to add subtle, pretty decoration to tunes like "Your Love" and "Eileen." He's got a sympathetic cohort in John Porter, who also produced Moore's debut album and is especially adept at capturing the sounds of the acoustic instruments that dominate this disc. After pursuing all the twists and turns of love and its baggage on Suitcase, Moore ends the CD with "Life Is Beautiful," an ode to the pure and basic joys of life as a couple, reflected in a blithely primal trio accompaniment of crisp acoustic guitar, mandolin, and drums. --Ted Drozdowski
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Customer Reviews

Nice EZ listening music ... no blues, no soul

2007-03-25
Despite his claims to the contrary on his website and in interviews, Keb' Mo' has largely abandoned his blues roots. This album is a collection of innocuous tunes that fit nicely into the E-Z listening category. Good background music, but there's nothing there that gives a clue to the skills and soul demonstrated in Keb Mo's earlier works.

Feel Good

2007-03-13
This music just makes you feel good. I want to dance to almost every song. It's very easy to understand his lyrics. He's a great songwriter and singer.

Blues and Guitar

2007-03-01
I bought it for "the Itch" which is a blues number with some samba piano and fun guitar and nice rhythym. Other songs show Keb's variety of musical styles and writing.

Too stylized

2007-01-11
I got this as a gift for my husband, and he says it's too stylized. He likes just Keb' Mo' without other musicians. He's hard to please! I thought Keb' sounded great, and I enjoyed listening. Depends on how "pure" you need your music to be, I suppose. I liked it though.

Like all the songs, cannot choose just one

2007-01-10
Excellent cd.Keb' Mo' has style and grace mixed in with blues that touch your heart!

No wonder Bonnie Raitt tours with him

2008-07-09
Keb is a talented musician with a beautiful voice and solid poetic compositional skills. Very much appreciated that he participated in the Vote For Change tour in '04, and thought that he, Bonnie and Jackson Browne were one hell of a trio.

Keb Mo is always good

2008-01-18
Keb Mo is always good but this is great! Listening to this will chase the blues away.

Keb' Mo'

2007-05-04
I found Keb' Mo' by accident. I was looking thru blues cds at the local library and found "Slow Down." I heard that cd and thought it was really good. So I ordered some more to listen to and didn't know that "Suitcase" was his latest - greatest. When I listen to "Suitcase" it is straight forward honest and funny. I like Keb' Mo's easy going laid back style that is very pleasing to the ears. The whole album is great with a story to tell. Keb' Mo' has either lived this or has had close friends that have experienced some of the things he sings about. It is a very entertaining album and worth the purchase!

a light suitcase

2007-05-04
This record shows Keb' Mo's usual combination of blues and ballads, like most of his precedent works. As usual, it is a refined and accurate record, with excellent arrangements and high quality of the sound. There are some differences, actually: comparing to some early records and to the last one ("Keep it simple"), "Suitcase" seems to be a little weighed down on the "pop" side of such mix, as ballads (I'm a hero, I'll be you water, Life is beautiful, etc.) prevail over genuine blues tracks. More: some pieces begin with a blues introduction, but suddenly turn to a pop song (listen to "Your Love"). I do not know if it depends on Keb's present good mood, or if Blues is making its way towards a softer age. As for me, I own all Keb's records and I love this musician as one of the best living bluesmen, but I will keep this work for my relaxed moments.

Riccardo Frau
Sassari - Italy

He does it again

2007-04-12
This is another one of his CD's that is enjoyable from start to finish.