A vital blues-rock album in 2003? An odds-against prospect until you read the fine print and realise that this Texan singer-drummer-songwriter has worked not only with Stevie Ray Vaughan (Fitchburg Street’s strongest reference point) but with Texas blues legends like Lightnin’ Hopkins. On Bramhall’s first record since 1994, he goes back to his roots, covering blues and R&B classics by Jimmy Reed, John Lee Hooker, etc. His soulful, rough-hewn voice and no-nonsense approach make this time-tested format glow with warmth and vibrancy.
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