North Louisiana singer songwriter Robert Finley announced his eagerly awaited new album ‘Hallelujah! Don’t Let The Devil Fool Ya’ arriving via Easy Eye Sound on October 10, and the record finds Bernice’s favorite son infusing sacred sounds of gospel into his already unique take on blues, soul and R&B. Produced by longtime collaborator Dan Auerbach at his Easy Eye Sound Studios in Nashville, Finley’s fourth album for the label came together with startling speed, fully improvised and tracked in a single furiously fruitful day.
Backed by an all star combo featuring Auerbach and fellow guitarist Barrie Cadogan from Little Barrie, Primal Scream and The The, drummer Malcolm Catto from The Heliocentrics who’s worked with Madlib and DJ Shadow, bassist Tommy Brenneck and keyboardist Ray Jacildo, plus call and response vocal support from his daughter singer Christy Johnson, the album sparked divinely inspired creativity.
The deeply spiritual new single “Helping Hand” is available now, hailed by FLOOD for its simmering ’70s psych funk guitar melodies, hand percussion and stirring vocals, joined by an official music video directed by filmmaker Tim Hardiman who’s worked with John Anderson and Blake Shelton. Finley shares that making a gospel record was the first thing he ever wanted to do, explaining he’s had at least one gospel song on each album and even did one on America’s Got Talent where people were in tears despite someone questioning if it was the right crowd. Auerbach explains that back in the day when Robert played for tips he’d ask people questions and improvise songs on the spot, and choosing that direction for this album where everything was improvised, played, sung and written off the cuff allowed the spirit to move through Finley’s creative process.