Forgiven

This is a sweet album. They are a real gem. Down to earth, good for the soul music. Thank you brothers Garza!

Los Lonely Boys's third studio effort took a few listens to get acquainted with, but now I'm happy to say I'm enjoying it quite a bit. It has some great blues-rockers such as the hard-hitting Heart Won't Tell A Lie and the funky I'm A Man, and Superman, which features drummer/brother Ringo Garza on vocals (message to the band: let him sing more next time). The song Cruel is another favorite, very funky and moody. The album also has some great slower songs, like like the pleading Forgiven, the soaring Make It Better, and the breezy Staying With Me. Staying With Me is a great song, and I find myself hearing it in my head a lot. But I do have a problem with this being the first single. I do wish that LLB would show their rock side in their singles a bit more, and not just play up the Heaven angle everytime. A small quibble though. I think they should've hit with I'm A Man or Heart Won't Tell A Lie, and then follow up with Staying With Me. Just me though. Still not up to par with their debut, but that's okay, because there's plenty to like here. Besides, it's going to be awful hard to top that one! They may not ever have another hit like Heaven (although I certainly hope so, because they're so good) but with this album LLB have shown that they will have something to offer the world for a long time to come.

After listening to the new CD, I can't get enough of them. Like the albums before, this one will not disappoint. I love all the songs, some more than others. But I especially love the title track "Forgiven", "Heart won't tell a lie" and "Superman". They continue to churn out some great songs. Love Them!!!

Forgiven, the 3rd album for the Garza brothers, is a solid effort for the boys from San Angelo. While it is not their best album, it is still very good. Los Lonely Boys are victims of their success because every album they release will be compared to their first album. In a way, they are like other great bands that have one seminal album with several good albums that get overlooked. There are several songs that stand out in my mind. The title track is awesome. To me, it is a sister song to "Heaven". This album pays tribute to some of their other influences with the Beatle-esque "Make it better". "Superman" is notable because it's the first track where Ringo showcases his vocal skills. Other songs of note are "I'm a Man" (a concert regular), "Can't See the Light", and "The Way I Feel". To me, there is no better power trio today. JoJo and Ringo propel the album forward with their thundering rhythyms and beats with Henry invoking the great SRV and Hendrix. He is not a copycat; he adds his own flair that lets you know that it is Henry Garza. Forgiven is definitely the most eclectic of all 3 LLB albums and you won't be sorry you bought it.

Ok, I'm not a fan of Walmart, but I got a gift cert for my bday and I immediately purchased Los Lonely Boys and my other fave Tom Petty, aka Mudcrutch. (It's funny, because both of their previous albums came out at the same time, too.) Anyway, MY POINT: LLBs CD at Walmart gives you two extra songs! So I hate it that you have to shop around to see which songs are on which CDs at which store. And, I hate Walmart, but I love LLB so I did what I had to do. :D I can't give a fair review of the CD not having finished listening to it, and because I'd love it even if they were just singing the phone book. So buy it at any store you want to and decide for yourself!