Bob Schneider w/Mobley
Shank Hall 1434 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
Singer-songwriter Bob Schneider has tightened his sound considerably over the years. On his earliest records, the Austin, TX, troubadour hopped around from genre to genre, touching on classic rock reggae-twinged jam rock, hip-hop-inflected folk and lovelorn ballads. But for his 2006 album, The Californian, Schneider restricted himself to just direct roots rock, resulting in an album that captured the energy of his live shows. Subsequent releases have maintained that energy, including 2009’s Lovely Creatures, a career high that featured some spirited forays into Latin music, and his uplifting new album, Blood and Bones, which reflects on his new life as a husband and a father (“It’s nice to be alive,” he sings). His domestic life hasn’t stopped him from touring. Each year he posts dozens of recordings of his freewheeling live shows to his Bandcamp page.