Keb' Mo': at The Franklin Theatre (Franklin, TN) Thu. November 29, 2012

Keb' Mo'

Nashville Scene Critic's Pick …

Keb’ Mo’ is a crossover artist whose blues proclivities come through so strongly that I canoverlook his penchant for schlock — if his Grammy-winning 1996 full-length Just Like You featured the sententious title track and guest vocals by Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne, the man can play straight blues.When he gets into something like “Dangerous Mood,” he rocks the tune’s 12/8 rhythm and souped-up chord changes.In recent years, Mo’ has moved to Music City, with predictable results: 2011’s Nashville-recorded The Reflection is an uneven collection of funk-lite tracks that peaks with “Just Looking” — mindless fun in a post-Stax, post-Ray Parker Jr.mode.He also duets with Vince Gill on the limp “My Baby’s Telling Lies” and achieves title recognition on a cover of the Eagles’ “One of These Nights.”Catch him live, where he shows what he can do.

—Edd Hurt