THE KELLY RICHEY BAND/EYES OF A WOMAN (Sweet Lucy Records KRB1130-2)

"Eyes Of A Woman" is the fourth release from The Kelly Richey Band and represents significant growth for the band in two key areas. First, 8 of the 11 tracks were either written or co-written by Kelly Richey. Second, Kelly appears to have settled into her own singing voice here. The result is that this release is the most personal statement that the band has made thus far.

The opening track "Talks All Over Town" showcases Kelly’s guitar playing over an excellent horn-based arrangement. Freddie King’s "You Was Wrong" is given a nice treatment and also provides a continuing spotlight on guitar. "Good Days Bad Days" is the real gem of this disc as the band produces a gorgeous slow-flowing performance that’s just absolutely perfect. "My Baby’s Gone Crazy" is a nice track but doesn’t really have anything to set it apart. "Stop Actin’ Crazy" is a great jumpy blues piece and may be the best of the self-penned songs here. The title track is another great one that features some excellent slow blues guitar and smooth vocals. "Travelin’" is another excellent original and features the harmonica talents of Jim Rosen. "Someday Baby" puts Kelly’s guitar back in the spotlight and she doesn’t disappoint. Kelly’s guitar, Jim Rosen’s harmonica, and David Barrickman’s piano all combine to make "Blues Don’t Lie" another highlight of this disc. "It Ain’t Easy" puts the band back into a mean jump blues style. The closing track, "Strollin’ After Hours," is a nice instrumental that really lets the band have some fun.

Overall, "Eyes Of A Woman" is an excellent release and is likely to bring The Kelly Richey Band a lot more attention. "Good Days Bad Days" and "Stop Actin’ Crazy" make this disc worth getting by themselves. The band’s first 2 releases have already sold out so if you like them, or think that you might, now would be a good time to pick up a copy of their third release, "Live At Tommy’s On Main," (see separate review) while it’s still available. You can obtain ordering information and other news from the band’s homepage. (see link to the left)