If 2011’s intimate 4 A.M. suggested that Sam Llanas wanted to move beyond the BoDeans, The Whole Night Thru acknowledges he’s not quite ready to surrender the sound that made him famous. The singer-guitarist’s third solo album opens with “Deja Vú,” a dark mid-tempo rocker more vivid and compelling than any song on the BoDeans’ Llanas-less 2012 album, American Made. Llanas then dips into familiar-sounding territory with the rootsy “Cold ’n Clean” and “The Best I Can,” which prove he hasn’t lost his thirst for melodic and stirring storytelling infused with almost quaint emotion.
Milwaukee musicians Sean Williamson (guitar), Matt Turner (bass) and Ryan Schiedermayer (drums and percussion) enthusiastically back him, and local stalwart Gary Tanin recorded, mixed and mastered the album. With a running time of only 34 minutes, The Whole Night Thru could have used a few more songs. But the nine here represent some of Llanas’ best work. No wonder he’s on the verge of cracking a smile in the back-cover photo.
Sam Llanas performs at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22 at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, 1584 N. Prospect Ave.
