This man can sure sing, whether it’s on solo projects, with the Doobie Brothers, duetting with the likes of Patti LaBelle or helping out with harmonies for Steely Dan.
That husky baritone is one of the most distinctive to emerge from the laidback California pop/rock scene of the late ’70s, blending elements of jazz, blues and funk.
There are some classic songs here (What a Fool Believes, Yah Mo B There, Sweet Freedom and Minute By Minute, to name but a few), although there are three or four tracks that have something of a makeweight feel (unlike the Motown cover albums that have done so well in recent years).
That’s a minor quibble, though, as McDonald is right up there at the pinnacle of blue-eyed soul.
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