Wide Open (2017)

"McDonald's first album in nearly a decade, following "Soul Speak" by nine years, but a better benchmark would be "Blue Obsession" (2000), the last album of original material he released. Although he remains firmly grounded in blue-eyed soul, "Wide Open" also encompasses the slick open-road rockers of the Doobie Brothers and occasionally dabbles in some unexpected sounds from McDonald. "Just Strong Enough" ends with a spin on a New Orleans funeral march, "Honest Emotion" conjures a hazy Laurel Canyon sunset, "Blessing in Disguise" splices Sting with acid jazz, and "Too Short" nods at percolating African rhythms. Not one of these is new, per se, but they are new to McDonald, and give "Wide Open" a fresher feel. While he happily trades on the slow-burning R&B grooves and soft rock melodicism that made him a star, there's not much nostalgia here. Instead, this record not only feels true but is sturdier than nearly all of the albums he recorded at his popular peak." (S.T. Erlewine, Allmusic; 4 uit 5 sterren)