Between writing, singing, playing, producing and even offering some sketchy (in both senses of the word) album art, Chris Isaak really does it all on Mr. Lucky. Forget what you saw on TV — this is the real Chris Isaak Show.
After two decades making music, Isaak knows what he’s doing, and this is his most polished album to date. His playing is smooth and his Orbison-like croon is even smoother, but Isaak eschews his trademark retro flair for an over-produced delivery. The lovelorn “Cheater’s Town” is classic Issak, but tracks like “We Let Her Down,” while solid, are rather generic. Also perplexing are the duets with Trisha Yearwood and Michelle Branch. The guests have lovely voices, but their inclusion feels forced.
Mr. Lucky isn’t a bad record — far from it — but like many albums by artists with long careers, it has trouble living up to the past. You get the feeling the album would have been better if Isaak had given the songs to another artist. Until Isaak commits to a ground-up reinvention, he should stick to his old-school charms.
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