** Otis Clay

THIS TIME AROUND

(Bullseye Blues)

Chicago-based soul strongman Otis Clay is a great 'n' gritty vocalist in the tradition of '60s powerhouses like O.V. Wright and Otis Redding. His live shows, where he fronts his own little big bands, are visceral experiences. But his recordings are hit-and-miss. And this one's considerably off-target. Sure, Clay's singing sounds good. With a baker's-dozen set of lyrics about struggling with love and faith, there's no way he's not going to find emotional paydirt. But he's continually undermined by the arrangements, which are too often colored by keyboards, horns, and drums that recall the dawn of the disco era rather than the '60s spirit of deep soul or the Hi Records heyday of the CD's producer, Willie Mitchell (who created the lush, percolating textures of Al Green's early hits). Here the funky beats and sweetening just steamroll the juice out of Clay's performances. Disappointing.

-- Ted Drozdowski