Veteran soul-bluesman Robert Cray retains the same backing trio on 2012's Nothin But Love as on 2009's This Time, and detailed story ballads about the trials and tribulations of love remain his strong suit, yet there are enough change-ups and excellent songs here to keep the pace varied. Horns make a welcome appearance on a few key tunes, and the band cranks up the energy when the occasion calls for it. The album's emotional and philosophical centerpiece is the nearly nine-minute "I'm Done Cryin'," a searing portrait of a male protagonist who has lost his home and his job to outsourcing but retains his dignity. This is another quality entry in a catalog of albums over a lengthy career that has remarkably few weak spots. ~ Hal Horowitz
