14 Steps To Harlem

There are two types of music fans: people who love Garland Jeffreys and people who've never heard of him. His latest album is proof that the legendary artist still has a lot of great music left.

On 14 Steps to Harlem, Jeffreys makes something of an autobiographical statement, sharing tales of childhood as well as present-day preoccupations in a collection of songs that can only be interpreted in the first person. For instance, the title track is a loving tribute to Jeffreys' father, whose lengthy commute from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn to Harlem was a testament to his work ethic and dedication to his family. "Do it every day," Jeffreys emotes in his soulful shout, still sounding polished and graceful after nearly 50 years of recording and touring.

Those childhood memories also rear their head on the manic, infectious blues boogie of "Schoolyard Blues", where Jeffreys recounts his early days as a vertically challenged basketball hustler: "Standing in the asphalt jungle / What's a five-foot-six boy tryin' to do? / When you're looking up from the ground / And a six-foot-nine boy's looking right down on you." But life is also about looking forward and living in the present, and "Venus" is about as good as it gets when it comes to a simple, soulful mid-tempo love song dedicated to the joys of married life. Hammond organs, sharp guitar leads, and raucous backup vocals give the song a meat-and-potatoes E-Street Band feel.