Always Got Tonight

Personnel includes: Chirs Isaak (vocals); Patrick Warren, Jamie Muhoberac, John Shanks, Abraham Laboriel Jr., Steve Ferrone, Lenny Castro, Paul Bushnell, James Pugh, Matt Eakle.
Silvertone: Kenney Dale Johnson, Rowland Salley, Hershel Yatovitz.
Engineers include: Lars Fox, Marc Desisto, Mark Needham.
A supremely consistent performer, Chris Isaak can be counted upon to deliver the goods on every album. Since his 1985 debut SILVERTONE, the Bay Area native has kept to a reliable formula of tremolo guitars, echo-drenched Spectoresque production (more "You're Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" than "Be My Baby"), and a remarkable voice triangulated somewhere between Roy Orbison and Johnny Rivers. ALWAYS GOT TONIGHT continues the trend of Isaak's late-'90s albums in keeping a period ambience without sounding too slavishly retro. In fact, it does a better job than 1998's SPEAK OF THE DEVIL of integrating subtle contemporary touches into the timeless songs; the stuttering title track and "Notice the Ring" sound like Beck collaborating with Ricky Nelson.
Elsewere, other songs hew closer to the "Wicked Game" template, especially the downright mournful closer "Nothing To Say." Fans pulled in by Isaak's cult-favorite TV show will be happy that the show's almost Byrdsy, ironically upbeat theme song "American Boy" is among these dozen songs, but longtime fans of Isaak's inimitable sound shouldn't be put off by the album's somewhat more modern feel.