BENJAMIN BOOKER

The raw-voiced, hard rocking triumph of Booker’s 2014 selftitled debut album was like Lenny Kravitz given a Dirty Deep South punk blues makeover. BB moves up several glorious gears on this sequel. The great Mavis Staples adds gravitas to the empowering title track, while Motivation is a liquid exercise in self examination, All Was Well is a sizzling but spare, pulse-quickening exhortation and the front porch gospel of Truth Is Heavy hits home with clarity and abrasive intent. Hot, fresh and thoughtful.