“How to Become Clairvoyant” opens with a burner set up by Robert Randolph on the pedal steel.  Randolph’s another great stylist who plays his instrument as if it were a slide guitar (but, of course, the pedal steel is much more capable with wider range and a fatter tone).  Instantly you recognize Robertson breathy, whispery vocals in this opener, “Staight Down the Line.”

Robertson’s Stratocaster shines on “When the Night Was Young”….a stirring soul tune that harks back to the magnificent Curtis Mayfield, background vocals and all.

Clapton’s help in “He Don’t Live Here No More” doesn’t do much to lift this tune….sounds a little like his duet with Hornsby back in the 90′s….nothing new.

However….”The Right Mistake” with Clapton and Winwood is another story.  This song drips with soul and Clapton and Winwood are almost to performing as what Lennon and McCartney are to songwriting.  Put these guys in the same studio and it just doesn’t get much better anywhere.  Winwood’s Hammond B-3 skills are brilliant….just the right amount of everything.

The next three tunes feature Clapton with Winwood on two of them as well, complementing and backing up Robertson’s reasonably well-crafted vocal lines.

Madame X justaposes Robertson with another musician who made the successful (and I’m sure very competitively fought) journey from rock to cinema: Trent Reznor.  The Nine Inch Nails founder just won an Academy Award for his soundtrack compositions on “Social Network;” Madame X is full of imagery and expressiveness, like any strong soundtrack should be.  I can see a madam walking in the rainy night with car lights flickering by…..

Tom Morello shakes things up with his guest appearance on “Axman,” an appropriate nod to a guy who deserves more credit as a outstanding stylist in the rock and rebellion anthem genre.  Robertson credits everyone from Elmore James to Link Wray in this sure-to-please-every-guitarist number.

“Mistress of magic, goddess of night” sings Robertson on the title cut….”how to become clairvoyant, that’s what I gotta know”……another breathy question from Robertson….how do you…”be one of the ones to see around corners?”…..not a bad subject for a song.

Tango for Django doesn’t really sound like Django Reinhardt to me, although it has a strong gypsy feel, the speed and dexterity of the master is missing.  But of course, it’s a tribute, not a reproduction!  (Rest assure, Django will be a subject for a future blog.)

“How to Become Clairvoyant” has no blazing guitar statements from Robertson like “King Harvest,” but it’s a worthy work of art and collaboration by some of the most impactful stylists of the past several decades.

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