Matt LuceyJoe Bonamassa is an American guitarist, most famous for his numerous blues and rock albums. A guitar virtuoso: Bonamassa has blues in his veins. A child prodigy: Bonamassa played alongside BB King at the age of 12. At only 48 years old, he already has 15 albums to his name. He started playing guitar at age 4, encouraged by his father —a huge rock and roll fan. Little did he know, his songs would be mentioned in the same breath as his heroes. Since his debut album in 2000, Bonamassa has released music relentlessly between tours. With innumerable awards and nominations, Bonamassa is a key figure in the effort to keep the genre alive. Famous partly for his stage presence, he is known for putting on electric live performances. I was lucky enough to see him live earlier this year in Cork.
His recent years
Since 2020, Bonamassa has released 14 albums, live and studio, including this most recent release. In addition to this, Bonamassa is involved in the production of music for various other musicians, through his record label “Keeping the Blues Alive Records” —the name is a mission statement. Not only does he engage regularly in the production and promotion of these, he also regularly collaborates on projects.
Bonamassa makes regular appearances on talk shows, social media and a wide array of events and shows. He is a truly active part of the community. The show I attended earlier this year, for instance, was a tribute to a well known Irish musician, Rory Gallagher. Bonamassa understands the legacy he is continuing and constantly strives to live up to his idols.
Build-up to the release
While I’m usually on top of my favourite musicians releases, this particular release passed me by. When I heard about this release, I went through Bonamassa’s social media to find the ramp up to the release. Thats when I realized how active Bonamassa truly is. There were so many posts on his page that the one post regarding the album simply slipped by. This lack of buildup for me only added to my happiness, not having to wait in anticipation. The day I found the album had been released, I listened on repeat.
The album itself
This album is, as expected, fantastic. The mixing is phenomenal, the sound is spot on. Bonamassa is a known music nerd and its clear he knows what hes doing. His technical abilities don’t get in the way of his musical ability, as is clear here. With every song feeling like it fits perfectly on this album, the musical ability of this man can never be in doubt. While all songs on this album are great, a few stood out in particular.
“Breakthrough“
“Breakthrough”, the titular song, is just fantastic. It kicks off with Bonamassa singing alongside his backup singers. The clean guitar sound makes for a nice tidy riff that repeats for the song. This is backed up by a supporting bass riff that matches the guitar, giving it more weight. The lead guitar’s clean sound allows for trills and licks throughout. While the vocals are pleasant, the guitar is the star here. Between lines of singing, the bluesman bursts into tasty licks which feel effortless. Bonamassa playing guitar feels so natural, it’s paced and enunciated like speech. This solo shreds a little bit with the blues vibe. The bit of distortion adds just the right amount of grit to make this solo special. At the end of the song, Bonamassa is once again joined by a backup singer, enforcing the finish of the song.
“Drive by the Exit Sign”
“Drive by the Exit Sign” is another great song on this album. This one has a really fun feel to it. The groovy, rhythmic style makes want to bop along. The repeated guitar phrases are slidey and punctuate the song nicely. While the guitar is impressive, it doesn’t take the spotlight, as the big band sound is felt through the song. The bass and drums take their place alongside guitar and add to the overall sound while not stealing the show. The rhyming lyrics, the mirroring by the backup singers. This song is just a fun time. The solo in this one is simple enough, nothing crazy happens but it feels like a classic blues rock solo. This would be a great song to hear live as the energy would work really well.
“Broken Record”
The last song I want to mention, “Broken Record”, is a slight change in theme. The soft sound of this song is an oasis in the upbeat, energetic album. The drums are slow and deliberate, the bass is present but it is felt more than heard. The guitar comes in gently, with enough distortion to growl slightly, without barking. The lead guitar utilizes slide, with a bassy undertone. The soft vocals lend themselves to this style and are something Bonamassa is more than capable of doing. The backup singers join in sections of the song and build up the sound just enough. The build ups bring some energy but maintain the softness of the song overall. With a clean solo towards the end, the song comes to a head satisfyingly. The guitar squeals and sounds great, making you nod along the whole time.
Conclusion
Overall, In have to admit, Bonamassa has done it again. This album checks all the boxes. Its energetic and loud when it wants to be. Its takes it down when it needs to. The whole thing feels like a master choreographed it. Bonamassa proves once again that he deserves all the praise he receives, and more. I wait in anticipation for his next.
