Shout!

"Shout! is the quartet's first studio album since 2009's By A Thread, and they've made the most of the time away, releasing not only this 11-track collection, but also an additional version of the album with special guests doing lead vocals on each track. The novel concept is a tribute to the Mule's flexibility as musicians, while serving as a smorgasbord for long-time fans. Which disc supporters will come back to more often could be hotly debatable, although an inspired pairing with Elvis Costello on the spiky "Funny Little Tragedy" makes the whole enterprise worthwhile".

"Shout!'s problems are virtually all on its no-extra-charge bonus disc. It features the same tracks in different order, with the band fronted by all-star guests. While some tunes work, most do not ... Shout! would have been better served if the best of the guest performances were integrated into the formal album. For fans, the first disc has plenty of exciting material to offer: it sounds great, the writing is excellent, there are new musical directions, and, as expected, there is terrific playing throughout".

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