Renegade

After two albums co-billed to , blues singer/guitarist issues his first solo album with . He's not alone on this album, either, but drummer , a grandson of , gets a "featuring" credit on the cover rather than an equal co-credit. The music is played in guitar-drums arrangements for the most part, with the occasional overdub (lead-off track has an added bass part) and a few guest musicians. A three-part horn section is heard on three songs; sings ; and contributes a rap to Usually, though, it's just and , with singing in a twangy tenor of the usual female trouble experienced by bluesmen. (Titles include ) A line can be drawn from the North Mississippi hill country to Detroit and the music of on this spare, intense music, which the musicians play with conviction. ~ William Ruhlmann