JJ Grey and Mofro are releasing the upcoming live DVD/CD combo Brighter Days on September 13th. The album (and DVD) is a high-energy fireball of spectacular music. JJ and company seamlessly glide between sounds, with the crowd obviously feeding off the magnificent energy. Tracks like “A Woman” and “Lochloosa” delve in to richly soulful sounds that tug at the heart strings, while others such as “Country Ghetto” simply rock in a manner that stays firmly in your head long after the song has ended.

The horns add a distinctive and unique touch to the music, and the band is obviously comfortable and tight, delivering an impressive array of music throughout the album. Though some live albums can be hit-or-miss when it comes to sound quality, this is a firm hit. While the music is expertly mixed, the sounds and energy from the crowd are audible at just the right levels to help the listener truly feel as close to a live show as possible without being at JJ Grey’s feet. For an even better “live from your living room” experience is the included DVD, which is hard not to watch all the way through once it’s found it’s way to your player.

JJ Grey and Mofro is a deeply impressive band, and the live album set is well worth the money. Though not necessarily traditional blues, their unique gumbo of roots strains, from blues to soul, to rock n’ roll, is appealing to fans of great music on any level.

Purchase a copy of Brighter Days at JJ Grey’s website