Joe Bonamassa
Driving Towards the Daylight

What to write about this tenth album of our guitarist paisà, that hasn't been already considered in previous reviews? For instance, when it comes to native-born specialists at plucking strings, Bonamassa is certainly not the first: the Sicilian Frank Zappa, the psychedelic John Cipollina of Quicksilver et cetera, et cetera, that Jimmy Crespo who substituted Joe Perry in Aerosmith, the unfortunate folksinger Jim Croce who perished in a plane crash, the riff master Tony Iommi, the Duranian Warren Cuccurullo, the furious plectrum user Al Di Meola, the peppery John Frusciante, the Van Halen-influenced Vito Bratta of White Lion, the speedy gonzales John Petrucci, the expert Joe Satriani, the metalhead Mark Tremonti of Alter Bridge, the virtuoso Steve Vai and... that's it, I've exhausted my memory.

Eleven tracks on this occasion, of which only four were directly birthed by the owner of the album. For the remaining seven, the royalties go, with regards to the "ancients," to the seminal Robert Johnson, the master Howlin' Wolf, and the pioneer Willie Dixon. As for the slightly more contemporary fine folks honored by the New York guitarist, here we have covers of Bill Withers, who passed away just last year, the dark Tom Waits (this time "New Coat of Paint"), Bernie Mardsen of Whitesnake, and finally the Australian glory Jimmy Barnes who, besides providing the recycling of his "Too Much Ain't Enough Love", also lends his proverbial huskiness, delivering it with usual power as a guest.

However, my favorite is "Heavenly Soul" by Bonamassa himself, due to its peculiar and very catchy melody, as well as some great mandolin work at certain points.

This time I'm a bit reserved with my judgment: three and a half stars for this 2012 work of the rock blues workaholic par excellence.