(Jagjaguwar) CD & LP
Steve McBean strikes again, this time on a bed of blue velvet. It’s true that Outside Love is a less rock-oriented affair, as though “Sweet 69” took five years to settle down and come round to a mood that is plush and unwavering. This is a work of robust ballads, like the steadfast album opener “Axis: Thrones of Love” and mid-album gem “Holiday.” Melodic and self-assured (as usual), the album feels like it’s resonating through the spaciousness of a church, with a grassy field employed as the floor – so everyone can sit around and goddamn enjoy it – and rightfully so.