Nobody Left to Crown

iTunes Review

The warm timbre of his voice remains as inviting as when he debuted in the 1960s (and made his name at the Woodstock festival where he played for over three hours), and his selection of cover material in 2008 remains eye-raising and perfectly in sync with his mission and message. At 67, Richie Havens may have earned his stripes as an elder statesman but he’s hardly a nostalgia act, still performing with the passion of someone a third his age. The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” is delivered with an ominous tone. Jackson Browne’s “Lives in the Balance” expresses its worldly concerns with simmering tension. Clarence Greenwood’s ‘Hurricane Waters” is fueled by Haven’s frustrated tone, while Haven’s originals, “The Key,” “Say It Isn’t So,” “If I,” and “We All Know Now” are beautifully complimented by a backing group who push ever so gently against the rhythms as Havens glides over the melodies with ease. He’d practically be considered “easy listening” if it weren’t for the strong social consciousness underlying his material and the passion and commitment that has never flagged over five decades of service.