Eli Paperboy Reed returns with "Getting There", this time teaming up with legendary producer and soul eccentric Swamp Dogg for an album that stretches his classic rhythm & soul sound into country, gospel, folk and roots rock territory.

Rather than another collection of songs about falling madly in and out of love, Reed looks at what happens afterwards - relationships that have to survive everyday life, good years and bad ones, and the work required to keep two people together. Musically, though, things remain anything but sober: warm arrangements, gospel influences and Reed's powerful soul voice keep the record firmly connected to the vintage R&B tradition that has defined his career.

With Swamp Dogg behind the desk, "Getting There" draws particularly clear lines between Southern soul, gospel and country - styles that were never as far apart as record-shop categories might suggest.

A mature but still wonderfully lively Eli Paperboy Reed album: timeless soul music with a little more country dust on its shoes.