Albums by this artist

Poor Man's Son (2002)

Franky Perez and the Highway Saints

Poor Man's Son

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» CALEY COOK | CONTRIBUTOR

Franky Perez Poor Man's Son Atlantic, 2002 RiYL: Jewel, Edwin McCain, Jason Mraz

Franky Perez is nothing short of talented. There is likely not one person that would not like at least one song on this album, if not the entire disc. That is certainly not saying that every song here is worth your time. This is easy listening. No art for art’s sake. No challenging orchestral arrangements.

If there’s anything that Perez is good at, however, it’s compensating for any perceived weakness. His songs, if sung by any other artist, would not necessarily be all that compelling, but Perez swaggers and struts through 18 whole tracks (unheard of for a common major-label release) and succeeds in befriending an entire pop-oriented audience that would otherwise balk at a Cuban-American conga player that sings of domestic abuse (“Something Crazy”).

He’s the kind of knight in shining armor that would write the name of his long-lost lover in dust on a truck as it rolled out of town. A kind of Springsteen anti-hero. From Vegas. But there is musical gold in these here hills: “Angel Park” talks of idealism and past romance for a lost home; “Love & Hate” taunts a lover with a final decision; “Cold Hard Rain” channels the gravel-tinged voice of a scorned romantic and a chilled soul.

CALEY COOK |