On the but partly successful But Beautiful Volume 1 ('03), Boz Scaggs (ex Steve Miller Band) still ventured to the standards from the American songbook, a favorite pastime of many old rockers. Even before the release of Volume 2, Fade Into Light is released, where Scaggs draws from his own oeuvre. Songs from his most famous solo albums such as Silk Degrees ('76), Middle Man ('80) and Other Roads
… ('88) were re-recorded, many with the same session musicians as those of But Beautiful. Fade Into Light was initially only released in Japan and is now finally available for the American and European markets. And fortunately because the album rises above the average perpetual rehearsal exercise of burnt out pop stars. Both the band and Scaggs sound very inspired and the songs are performed as if they were made up on the spot. The slick jazz-rock arrangements are an ideal accompaniment for the soulful voice of Boz Scaggs, who proves himself to be one of the best white soul singers of his generation. (MS)more