Lover's Plea

Lover's Plea is an album by the American musician W. C. Clark, released in 1998. It was his third album for Black Top Records. Clark supported the album with a North American tour. The album was nominated for a W. C. Handy Award for "Soul Blues Album" of the year.

Production

The album was coproduced by Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff. Clark was backed by Double Trouble on several tracks; the Kamikaze Horns appeared on a few. "Are You Here, Are You There?" is about Clark's late fiancée, who died in an accident when Clark lost control of his tour van; his drummer was also killed. "Pretty Little Mama" is dedicated to Clark's daughter. "I'm Hooked on You" is a cover of the Al Green song. "Sunshine Lady" employed a gospel choir.

Critical reception

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that "sensuous falsettos and gritty stylings melt into a rich, soulful voice with hints of Al Green and O.V. Wright... It's just the right blend of elegance and grit for this album, a rumination about the joys and sorrows of love." The Advocate noted that "soul meets the blues in the Austin, Texas-bred, horns-blessed sound." The Chicago Tribune called the album "a perfect 7-10 split of tough, shuffling Lone Star blues and punchy Stax-style soul driven home with taut, tart fretwork and molasses rich vocals."
The Age concluded that, "like Albert King, Clark is a gifted crooner and, like Syl Johnson, he can inject his material with the strongest whiskey-toned voice around." The Daily Herald said: "A bright but sly guitar player himself, Clark laces his playing smoothly through his songs so the feeling isn't tromped, merely accented with a punch." The Los Angeles Times determined that "Clark's voice mesmerizes on songs about girls that made him happy and those that did not—the blues in a nutshell."
AllMusic wrote that "Clark's vocals here are nothing short of eloquent while his guitar stings and stabs with the best of them."