Bob Weir BOBBY & THE MIDNITES

Personnel: Bob Weir (vocals, guitar); Matthew Kelly (vocals, harmonica); Brent Mydland (vocals, keyboards); Alphonso Johnson (vocals, bass guitar); Billy Cobham (vocals, drums). All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology. While Bob Weir's previous solo outing, 1978's HEAVEN HELP THE FOOL, was a mellow, lite-pop affair that matched the founding Grateful Dead member with high-priced LA session cats, BOBBY & THE MIDNITES was a total about-face. It paired Weir with a hard-hitting, self-contained rock band that included Kingfish harmonica man Matthew Kelly and Dead keyboardist Brent Mydland. Instead of slick easy-listening material, the album is full of straight-ahead, all-American rock & roll, with hints of the Bruce Springsteen/Bob Seger heartland-arena-rock approach. For variety, there's a surprisingly credible stab at the Heptones' reggae classic "Book of Rules," but for the most part, BOBBY & THE MIDNITES handily puts to rest any doubts that HEAVEN HELP THE FOOL might have engendered about Weir's rock & roll credibility.

• Genre: Pop
• Format: CD
• Released: 01/04/2005