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After Hours
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0602517300699
Label: New Door Records
Manufacturer: New Door Records
MPN: 000876102
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: New Door Records
Release Date: July 17, 2007
Studio: New Door Records
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Editorial Review:
Raul Malo's second covers album in two years skews slightly closer to the classic country that influenced his early career with the Mavericks. It is also likely to further alienate followers of his rootsy former band as he shifts into crooning, jazzy supper-club mode on these countrypolitan versions of classic and a few more recent C&W tracks. All twang is removed here, replaced with a horn section, a featured clarinet, and slick pop arrangements of standards associated with Elvis ("(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I"), Hank Williams ("Take These Chains from My Heart," "Cold, Cold Heart"), and Ray Price (Kris Kristofferson's often-interpreted "For the Good Times"). Malo sure has the pipes for these reworkings, but the disc is most convincing when the syrupy support takes a back seat to the relatively swinging horns on Dwight Yoakam's "It Only Hurts Me When I Cry" and "Pocket of a Clown." Regardless of your age, this is very definitely your parents' country, as Malo transforms himself into a younger, slightly hipper Dean Martin. You can practically taste the olive in his martini and touch his crisp tuxedo as he eases into this material with satiny-smooth vocals and classy delivery. But the line between seductive and snoozy is a thin one, and established fans might wonder where the old fire has gone as they navigate through this glossy set of easy-listening, after-hours mood music. --Hal Horowitz
"There's a sophistication in country music, particularly in the songs that were written in the 1950s and'60s, that sometimes gets overlooked," says Malo. "I wanted to make an album that showed these songs can be treated as pop standards, because that's what they are, really. It's just that the artists who had success with them were country artists, although Tony Bennett had a hit with a Hank Williams song, so it isn't that unusual for the genres to cross each other."
In approaching this material, Malo and his band--Robert Chevrier (piano), Jay Weaver (bass), Tom Lewis (drums) and Jim Hoke (saxophone, clarinet and pedal steel)--drew their inspiration from the classic Nashville productions of the era. "This record definitely pays homage to the kind of country music Owen Bradley created," Malo acknowledges. "But the Ray Charles album Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music was the specific inspiration for this one. Ray proved that country music can be sophisticated and jazzy as well, and we wanted to do our take on it."
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Grows on You
The first time I heard this CD, I didn't like it. The arrangements seemed to have wandered too far away from the song's country roots. On second and third and fourth, etc., listening I love it. The gem is the ironic Roger Miller/Dwight Yoakam song, It Only Hurts Me When I Cry.
Another plus is that he seems like a nice guy - at least a civic minded one. I gave up on commercial radio decades ago, so I rely on venues like Earth Day in Nashville's Centennial Park and benefits to alert me ... Read More
Rating: - Raul - After Hours
One word - Fabulous. Older standard songs done to perfection. Put After Hours on along with the You're only Lonely CD and you have the makings of a wonderful evening.
Rating:  - chic thing
gave it a 3 because it is not for me. My bride likes it though so maybe I should have rated it higher???
Rating: - Love the Singer, Not the CD
Huge Raul fan, but disappointed in this CD. While his voice is terrific, the song selection just didn't work for me. Maybe it's just my comparisons to the originals ...
Rating: - Raul Malo - a great voice
Raul Malo made others records better than this, but his voice singing traditional and old songs worth each penny spent. I still would buy this CD if I have comeback and having to decide....
José Carlos from Brazil
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