Joe Bonamassa

Blues Of Desperation

Mascot Label Group

We’re barely into the new year and already we have a new release from JB. We’ve come to expect top-quality stuff and this is no exception. Huge percussive sound persists as well as great songs and extraordinary guitar playing, of course, but what really stands out is Joe’s mastery of tone. The tracks are pretty intense at the start but gradually settle with the hypnotic Drive. It’s hard to single out tracks as the standard is frighteningly high, but must-mentions include Mountain Climbing with its nod to Leslie West; No Good Place For The Lonely for the sheer dynamics of the performance and that unexpected bridge section; and the acoustic relief of The Valley Runs Low. The title track is an atmospheric tour de force and the album concludes with a Peter Green-esque execution of What I’ve Known For A Very Long Time. Not a damp squib in sight; this is a triumph. How does he do it?