Bob Schneider Record Review

"God will destroy everything if you live long enough," crooned Bob Schneider on 2011 standout platter A Perfect Day. Settling into his 50s, Austin's musical chameleon now reckons with that reality, but also an appreciation of the subtle joys accompanying said mortal terror. Sixth solo LP, Blood and Bones swerves expectedly eclectic in style, bouncing from funked up raps to smooth pop, yet the moments of sincere reflection caught in Schneider's immaculate and surprising turns of phrase stand out most of all. The singer crafts lines that layer a deceptive simplicity, then expand into much deeper sentiment, as with the title track's mellow simmer of vulnerability and limitations. The sharp percussive shuffle of opener "Making It Up" and skittering scat of "Easier With You" unfold with the effortless swoon of Bahamas, while "Goodwill" and icy groove "Make Drugs Get Money" touch on Davíd Garza's sure sense of pacing and lyrical acrobatics. "Texaco" pushes Schneider's rap impulses over the edge, leaving softer turns to again hit hardest: the delicate sentiment of "Easy" and gauzy, hallucinogenic dread of "Hours and Days." Schneider asks in close, "What do you do when you've seen it all?" and his answer rings as artistic manifesto and defense: "Sing About Love."