• Artist / Title: Joe Bonamassa: Dust Bowl (2011)
• Month Reviewed: May 2011
• Format: CD
• Buy:

Take away three tracks away from this albums 12, you would likely have the best (or certainly one of the top 5) blues-rock albums of all time. Man, this is a seriously brilliant record.

I have never been a particularly keen blues or blues-rock fan, but Bonamassa really lights my guitar candle. He has a light touch where required then can suddenly pile on the pyrotechnics and grandstand like no other. Astounding playing.

Highlight is the Last Matador of Bayonne – mesmerising. Not far behind is the closing track – and Planet Rock fave – Prisoner. But really, apart from the three ‘trad-blues’ style tracks (Tennessee Plates, Sweet Rowena, You Better Watch Yourself) this is first class stuff. Special mention must be made of the genius cover of the Free track Heartbreaker. Knockout.

One of the best records of 2011, no contest.