Most bands fear the worst when their albums get bumped back from their original release dates. But for Robert Randolph and the Family Band, the two-week delay of its sophomore Warner Bros. set, “Colorblind,” has proved quite fortuitous.
The set was originally due Sept. 26, but the label moved it to Oct. 10 to build momentum via a high-profile, season-long placement for album track “Thrill of It” as the opening song for ABC’s new “Saturday Night Football” series.
Indeed, the Family Band’s relentlessly upbeat blend of R&B, soul and rock is a perfect fit for sports branding. On “Colorblind,” the band snagged guest spots from Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews and Leela James, as well as contributions from producer Mark Batson and gospel songwriter Tommy Sims.
“I could sit down and do 10 songs with the band in probably a week or two, which is actually what we did,” Randolph says of his modus operandi in the studio. “But we came back another three months later and I said, ‘I’ve got something better.’ And someone would say, ‘No, you don’t.’ ‘Yes, I do.’ ‘Well, let’s hear it.’ We were looking for something else — something that wasn’t in us before.”
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