The Tattooed Heart

Aaron Neville grew up in New Orleans with a family background reaching back to Martinique. The high singing of religious orders made a lasting impression on him as a child, and its echoes mingle in his voice with the reverberations of Black gospel choirs, doo-wop and spirituals. After the 1966 hit ‘Tell It Like It Is’, his solo career remained intermittent until the Grammy-winning work with Linda Ronstadt and the carefully made Warm Your Heart.

The country-oriented The Grand Tour loosened the connection between singer and accompaniment. Here, again with Steve Lindsey producing, the balance is more assured. The arrangements are restrained, allowing Neville’s singing to fit naturally into the music’s flow. Personally, I might have welcomed a little more adventure: soft surroundings can sometimes make it easy to overlook the sharpness and complexity of this remarkable voice.

Still, in ‘crawling’ across the vast landscape of American popular music, Neville can reach the highest places from any area. The gently soulful sweetness, with touches of Southern soul, makes this a record well suited to an audience that values his warmth and range.