There is nothing wrong with being caught in a stylistic timewarp as long as you're good at what you do. Sure, some critics will complain that you sound dated and insist that you should be helping your genre forge ahead, but not everyone is obligated to forge ahead. Inevitably, some musicians will favor a retro approach and take comfort in the sounds of an earlier era, which is exactly what Southern singer/guitarist Mike Delacerda does on American Gypsy; this CD is a total throwback to the psychedelic rock, classic rock and blues-rock of the late '60s and early '70s. Jimi Hendrix is an especially strong influence, and Delacerda also shows his appreciation of the Rolling Stones, Johnny Winter and Bob Dylan (that is, electric rock & roll Dylan, rather than his very early acoustic folk-rock output). Quite frankly, Delacerda isn't a great vocalist -- he's actually a better guitarist than singer, and his strong chops as an axeman are evident on original songs as well as covers of Hendrix's "Are You Experienced," Dylan's "Born in Time" and Winter's "Mean Town Blues." But despite his limitations as a singer, Delacerda gets his emotional points across. Technically, his vocal chops aren't on a par with his guitar playing, but Delacerda brings heart and warmth to his vocals -- and that is more meaningful than someone who can sing his head off but has no soul. How many times have you heard a singer who was technically proficient but emotionally lacking -- someone who inspired you to comment, "Yeah, great voice, but no soul?" Well, a lack of soul isn't a problem on American Gypsy, which isn't a five-star masterpiece but is a generally decent and sincere (if derivative) effort from the unapologetically retro Delacerda.
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