There’s a lived-in honesty to Larry McCray that simply can’t be faked, and Heartbreak City buys fully into it.
This is a record steeped in soul, scar tissue and deep blues tradition, but crucially it never feels stuck in the past. Instead, it sounds like a man who knows exactly who he is — and plays like it.
Across ten tracks, McCray is joined by a heavyweight supporting cast, including Reese Wynans on keys, Kirk Fletcher, background vocalists Jade Macrae and Dannielle De Andrea, and guest guitar appearances from Joe Bonamassa himself. Yet despite the names involved, this never stops being Larry McCray’s album.
“Try To Be A Good Man” opens things in rock-n-soul territory, McCray’s voice lending real warmth and grit while the playing feels loose but purposeful. It sets the tone beautifully.
The title track “Heartbreak City” takes things somewhere darker and slower — Chicago blues flavours, horns swelling in the background, and a story that boils down to a familiar truth: she done him wrong.
“Bye Bye Blues” flips that on its head. Here, she done him right, and the result is gentle, smooth and deeply soulful. It’s followed by “Bright Side”, where the hauntingly brilliant backing vocals elevate the track into something quietly stunning.
Then there’s “Everything Falls On Me”, which doesn’t mess about. Never mind anything else — the fella can play the guitar. My god. It’s one of those moments where technique and feel collide, and you’re just left shaking your head in admiration.
“I Know What I’ve Done” strips things right back, even with Bonamassa guesting. There’s restraint here, and it’s all the more powerful for it. On “Keep On Loving My Baby”, things swing into a classic shuffle. Josh Smith proves exactly what Bonamassa has said about him before Kirk Fletcher joins the fray. It’s the sort of freak-out that usually threatens to derail a song — but here, it just lifts it higher.
“Hangman” carries a casual air that sits intriguingly at odds with the lyrics, making it perfect blues in the truest sense. “Stop Your Crying” is sheer class — timeless, unforced, and dripping with feel.
Closer “Crazy World” heads into darker territory, but, well… it’s 2025, innit? Darkness is de rigueur. Still, McCray navigates it with the confidence of someone who’s seen it all before and lived to tell the tale.
Heartbreak City isn’t about flashy reinvention or chasing trends. It’s about authenticity, feel, and soul — and Larry McCray delivers all three in spades. This is blues played by someone who means every single note.
Rating 8/10
