Joe Bonamassa - Blues of Desperation | Powerpoints: 8/10

Joe Bonamassa has been on such a run of superlative releases in recent years that you're almost waiting for him to slip up and deliver something ordinary. Well, there's nothing 'ordinary' about 'Blues of Desperation' and Bonamassa keeps that run of brilliance going with another set of near flawless blues tunes. On first play I didn't go a bundle on the opening duo of 'Train' and 'Mountain Climbing', but then the beautiful 'Drive' guided me into the albums heart and I was soon lost in that wonderful, flowing lead work and those soulful, honest vocals. And second time through those first two songs worked just fine. There's perhaps a slightly rougher and rootsier feel to this album in comparison to the smooth pleasures of, 'Different Shades of Blue'. Bonamassa has tweaked his sound just enough to keep it fresh, injected the extra bite and vitality it needed to stop anything becoming stale. It's a subtle masterstroke and one that suggests we'll be waiting a long, long time for anything remotely ordinary from Joe Bonamassa.

-Chris Kee, Issue 185 April 2016