Rating: NNN
What’s left for surviving Fairfield Four bass singer Isaac “Dickie” Freeman to do now that his quartet-mates have gone on to their great reward? Return to the recording studio with Dead Reckoning’s Kieran Kane to cut a solo gospel album accompanied by roadhouse blues band Mike Henderson and the Bluebloods, naturally. While the Bluebloods aren’t really church-going types, they’ve apparently heard enough Staple Singers recordings to fake it. Henderson does a reasonable job of approximating the Pops vibrato vibe, but the huge-voiced Freeman swings enough rumbling rhythmic thrust to carry each tune himself. The song selection and arrangements aren’t up to Fairfield Four’s high standards, but the heartfelt Beautiful Stars still manages to be moving.
