Robert Randolph & the Family Band/The New Respects

Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph has been an exciting force for years, and he certainly hasn’t slowed down. His latest album with the Family Band, Got Soul, offers up more of that danceable blues and soul, with Randolph’s laser-sharp lead work driving each song. Check out “She Got Soul” and “I Want It” for examples of how well the vocals and rhythms work in syncopated glory. He and his fellow musicians are nothing short of masters, and their shows end up turning into full-on gospel dance parties; it’s not for nothing that Randolph’s instrument is known in some circles as “sacred steel.” (Sandy)