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To Tulsa and Back
Rock · 2004 · 13 tracks

To Tulsa and Back

J.J. Cale

A masterclass in the laid-back Tulsa shuffle. Whispered vocals and dusty guitar grooves meet subtle electronic pulses for a late-night, road-weary journey.

June 7, 2004 · Capitol Music

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To Tulsa and Back is the sound of a homecoming, a record that feels like a warm exhaled breath after a long journey. It captures J.J. Cale returning to his roots, trading the isolated home-studio experimentation of his previous work for the camaraderie of old friends. The music is defined by the legendary Tulsa shuffle: a rhythmic pocket that is neither fast nor slow, but perfectly steady, inviting the listener to lean back and let the world blur at the edges.

Tracklist · 13 Tracks
01
My Gal
4:23
02
Chains of Love
3:38
03
New Lover
3:13
04
One Step
3:21
05
Stone River
3:42
06
The Problem
4:31
07
Homeless
3:25
08
Fancy Dancer
4:50
09
Rio
3:47
10
These Blues
3:49
11
Motormouth
3:17
12
Blues for Mama
4:07
13
Another Song
3:24
Moments Worth Listening For
The subtle integration of a drum machine pulse beneath the organic, hand-played guitar licks on the opening tracks.
The haunting, skeletal banjo arrangement of Another Song that strips away the shuffle for a ghostly Appalachian finish.
The way Cale's multiple vocal tracks blend into a single, hushed choir during the chorus of the title track.
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does To Tulsa and Back sound next to the rest of J.J. Cale's catalogue?

Peaceful+1.1σ

Peaceful saturates this record notably more than the artist's norm.

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