Funny thing:

Rick Ray used to be one of his genre's most prolific musicians, pumping out a mind bending twenty-something self-released CDs between 1999 and 2005. But Nothing To Lose was in gestation for well over a year before being presented to Ray's growing, fiercely dedicated fanbase - and that extended development period made an important difference: Rick Ray and his band's performances have always been masterful - but the this CD has cleaner production, and more musical songwriting that embraces a more sophisticated style. Ray's music improves with each release and although this record is still a challenging listen with many wild solos, powerful reed sections, walls of sound and balls a-plenty, it is altogether more listenable than his previous releases.

Rick Ray's mastery of the fretboard was well established long ago, and he has shared the stage with such luminaries as Pat Travers, the Dixie Dregs, Frank Marino, Robin Trower, Michael Schenker, Gary Hoey, Kansas, Mark Wood, Peter Frampton and Allan Holdsworth. Lofty company indeed.

New singer and some-time songwriter Alex Abraham had a big pair of boots to fill after the untimely passing of previous singer, his brother Chuck Abraham. To his credit, Alex doesn't attempt to emulate Chuck - preferring to cast his own personality on the band's sound. His upper-register style would be well applied to '80s metal, though it's been successfully shoe horned into the retro jazz/blues/rock style evident on Nothing To Lose. The singing will however be a love-it or hate-it affair for many listeners.

"Back to the River" is a memorable piece - despite being one of the most straightforward songs on the album - and despite being a cover of a Damnation Of Adam Blessing song. It starts with a groove reminiscent of the Woodstock era, and moves into a simple, very catchy vocal melody. Some verses are sung in a complex 2-part duet (almost) a capella over the bass/drum groove and a few sparse guitar chords, and the chorus swells into a bluesy, anthemic piece with anti-war lyrics that stay with you for days. It's hard to pick a standout from the other songs because so many of them have distinguishing features. Some are as tight as a drum (listen to the opening track's tightly coordinated multi-instrumental riffs), while others are masterful jam sessions. Many have a solid groove laid down by elegant bass/drum interaction, and several tracks feature long-time collaborator Rick Schultz's wonderfully smoky, jazzy sax solos. "Blue Print For Ruin" is a favorite, partly because of its extended instrumentals with a long reed section, elegant bass work and light, nimble, jazzy guitar work. Very retro, and it will remind you that so much of the older music was so much better than so much of the newer stuff.

The twelve tracks last 77 minutes, for an average of 6-1/2, with all tracks lasting over 5 but under 8 minutes. Plenty of time to allow each piece to progress through a series of time and tempo changes, and to showcase the band's musicianship.

It isn't perfect. The drumming on "The Whole Ball of Wax"" may have limited appeal with its odd mix, Abrahams's vocals are somewhat limited in range, and it would behoove Rick Ray to invest more emotion and less flash into just a few of his guitar solos. That said - Nothing To Lose is a rewarding listen.

Recommended to fans of progressive rock, southern blues rock, smoky jazz, or '70s-era acid rock.

In keeping with this testosterone-laced album's retro classic-rock vibe, Ray and his four-man band include a groovy cover of 1970's "Back to the River" by The Damnation of Adam Blessing. It's an anti-war song rooted in the Vietnam conflict, but the lyrics are just as relevant today. "Back to the River" stands as one of several highlights here that also include the opening rocker "There's Always A Catch" and "The Whole Ball of Wax" featuring horns galore. Through it all, Ray (who also contributes keyboards and backing vocals) plays with class and ease, drawing from a seemingly bottomless arsenal of licks and melodies. No surprise, really, considering he's been known to release as many as seven CDs in one year.

With some accessible songs that rank among the best in Ray's extensive catalog, Nothing to Lose is still a noisy, chaotic and challenging record that should please longtime listeners and probaby even create some new Rick Ray fans.