Silver Lining

1	Fools Game 4:08
2	I Can't Help You Now 3:13
3	Silver Lining 6:19
4	Time of Our Lives 4:00
5	Gnawin' on It 4:44
6	Monkey Business 3:36
7	Wherever You May Be 5:31
8	Valley of Pain 4:27
9	Hear Me Lord 5:09
10	No Gettin' Over You 4:45
11	Back Around 5:15
12	Wounded Heart 4:13

Barnes & Noble

One of rock's true originals, Bonnie Raitt enjoys a rare place in pop music -- a tried-and-true craftsman who's also a restless explorer. Luckier still, Raitt's solid charisma transmits her joy -- in both the old and the new -- straight to her fans' hearts. Silver Lining is peppered with the sinewy nuggets of funky blues-rock that have been the bedrock of Raitt's sound for three decades now. She gets down-and-dirty on the playfully lusty "Gnawin' on It," on which her own slide guitar prowess is echoed by that of bluesman Roy Rogers, and works up quite a sweat on "Monkey Business," which pits her string-slinging against a background of gritty keyboard melody. But in keeping with her mercurial nature, Raitt sets off for territory she's never explored before -- namely a handful of African-tinged tunes that feature some of that continent's modern masters. The spry "Hear Me, Lord" brings Zimbabwean world-beat master Oliver Mtukudzi into the mix, while Mali-bred guitarist Habib Koite explores the ancestral well that spawned the blues on the complex, invigorating "Back Around." The disc has its mellower moments as well, notably a captivating version of the David Gray song that serves as the title track and the achingly pretty ballad "Wherever You May Be." A glittering collection, with nary a cloud in sight. David Sprague

All Music Guide

With her road band laying the groundwork and with production responsibilities reverted primarily to her own hands, Raitt delivers varied and vivid performances throughout Silver Lining. Jon Cleary, an addition to the lineup, plays the pivotal role; his piano drives the steaming New Orleans groove on "Fool's Game," the posturing street funk of "Monkey Business," and the dusty blues tread on the acoustic-textured "No Gettin' Over You." The material, culled from American and African songwriters, along with a few Raitt originals, lends itself more to vocal interpretation than to straight-ahead blowing. Raitt's singing has never been more finely tuned, especially on the introspective title cut and on the final track, "Wounded Heart," a breathtaking duet recorded in one take with keyboardist Benmont Tench; after nailing it, Raitt reportedly fled the studio, moved to tears; any second attempt proved both undoable and unnecessary. On these performances Raitt exceeds her own standards for interpreting a lyric without compromise to her full-throated timbre. To balance these reflective moments, there are plenty of hotter ones; these also focus on the vocal, but with some exceptional guitar accompaniment as well, including Steve Cropper's licks on the low-key, Memphis-flavored "Time of Our Lives" and the greasy rhythms that push the band throughout "Gnawin' on It." Incendiary slide guitar work heats up parts of that track and several others, with another slide legend, Roy Rogers, joining in on the lascivious "Gnawin' on It." Still, Silver Lining is ultimately a showcase for exceptional singing and riveting backup work. It is also a likely milestone in Raitt's ongoing transition from blues guitar whiz to an artist of wider focus. The fires of her youth still blaze, though now they illuminate a more complex weave of techniques and a much greater depth of emotion. Robert Doerschuk

Rolling Stone

1/2... "Throughout all the various textures, Raitt puts for the her signature soulful vocal delivery and gutsy bottleneck chops, once again proving herself the queen of the Americana road." Holly George-Warren

Billboard

Raitt's eternal vocal effervescence and enthusiasm continue to amaze and astound. Jim Bessman