Album reviews - Joe Bonamassa Redemption. Jeff Beck Live at the Hollywood Bowl

It's been an age since I've done an album review on here - largely as I've not been buying music much recently.  Anyway....

Joe Bonamassa Redemption

Now Joe Bonamassa with this album really nails it.  He has written 12 excellent songs.  His band has to be quiet simply one of the best on the planet too.  He is the king of blues rock currently.  From the start of Evil Mama with the hooky riff, stabby horn fills and great vocals you know this is going to be great.  I do simply believe it is his best yet.

The solos of course are his tour de force.   The headliner stand outs for me are Redemption (the title track) and The Ghost of Macon Jones.

If you like Bluesy Rock or Rocky Blues or just great rock music go listen.  It really is top album.

Jeff Back Live at the Hollywood Bowl

What more can you say about Jeff Beck?  One of the, if not the, most original and inventive rock guitarists of the moment.  Where many many others might still bang out album after album the passion with which he continues to be a student of the instrument and continue to push it's creative boundaries makes him stand alone.

This live take is a double CD release.  Covering much of his latest output from the Loud Hailer album with the band that put that release together but then also a complete trawl through his legendary back catalogue.  So you get from the Yardbirds Heart Full of Soul, For Your Love and Shape of Things, Beck's Bolero, 'Cause We've Ended as Lover and Big Block to cover the massive contribution he's made continually through his career.   At the end a bunch of collaborations lead through covers from ZZ Tops Rough Boy (with Billy Gibbons) through to a stunning tribute to Prince in his reworking of Purple Rain.

A must for anyone who loves Mr Beck's work across the decades.

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