Living in the Fast Lane

by Jo-Ann GreeneAn artist's final album always sits heavily on the shelf, and even more so when that life has been cut abruptly short, becoming an unintended epitaph to what was a still flourishing career. Thus Living in the Fast Lane has a weighty burden to bear, one that Michael Bloomfield never meant it to shoulder, yet the set does so with remarkable ease. There's a definite joie de vivre found within, partly, one presumes, a reflection of the happiness of reuniting with myriad former cohorts, among them Mark Naftalin and Bob Jones, who both played on Bloomfield's debut solo album back in 1969, and ex-Electric Flag Roger Troy. A gospel choir and an entire band provide backing vocals and a horn section, which hints at the many styles showcased within. The set kicks off with "Maudie," a classic R&B number that brilliantly highlights Naftalin's piano skills, Bloomfield's own keyboard talent, and even more spectacularly his emotive, fluid guitar style, as his leads wind round vocalist Frank Biner, almost engaging him in conversation. On the indeed ragtime-flavored "Watkin's Rag" Bloomfield plays everything flawlessly, of course, even as he attempts to outdo himself in places. That's an instrumental, for the "Big C Blues" he also picks up the mic, defiantly (and ironically considering his actual cause of death) determined to have a good time before cancer strikes him down, while his piano and slide guitar vie for attention. Bloomfield sings out his own frustration at himself on the autobiographical "Used to It," a funk-drenched self-pummeling. "Roots" is equally funky, but in a slicker Temptations style that stresses the importance of knowing where you come from. Bloomfield certainly does and is keen to highlight all the styles that so influenced him within this set. Gospel-flecked blues, country-speckled blues, lavish soul, jazzy ragtime, R&B, and with "Andy's Bad" even a touch of hip-hop, Bloomfield and co. showcase blues of many shades, progenitors, and descendents. The musicianship is sensational, the vocalists superb, and Bloomfield is on fire, yet there's no struggle and strain to succeed, just a sublime atmosphere. Fans will insist he made much better sets, and they'd be right, but regardless, this album remains a magnificent achievement, one that's lost none of its power over the years.