Storyville

Robbie Robertson's second solo album refines the grand sound of his self-titled first release, taking the idea of New Orleans and its music as a backdrop for his own musical fantasies. No one will confuse this music with that of NOLA's vibrant R&B and jazz scenes, but the inclusion of Russell Batiste Jr., Art Neville, Cyril Neville, Big Chief Bo Dollis, and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux on "Go Back to Your Woods" gives an emphatic nod in that direction. However, this is a modern Robbie Robertson album, and the sleek production of "Hold Back the Dawn" and "What About Now" creates an ambient, atmospheric music that often sounds like a hallucination. "Soap Box Preacher," with Neil Young on backing vocals, nicely assimilates its horn section. Like much of Robertson's post-Band solo work, Storyville is heavy on mood and characterization, and it's an interesting answer to the question of how musical artists from previous decades could find their voices in the '80s and '90s.