Blues Of Desperation

Even for an artist renowned for muscular blues rock, Joe Bonamassa’s 12th outing is noticeably heavy. He swaps out his beloved Marshall amp for a Fender tweed, lending his solos considerably more sting, and beefs up his rhythm section by incorporating double drummers. The full force of the band is felt on a title cut built from choked wah-wah and a pounding, Zeppelin-style groove. On “Distant Lonesome Train,” Bonamassa cranks up the tempo with viscous locomotive riffs. Just as thrilling is “This Train,” which boasts a rollicking shuffle caked in vintage Tulsa grit.

Despite its hardscrabble title -- a sentiment mirrored by the deeply etched black & white cover art -- 2016's Blues of Desperation is very much a continuation of the bright, varied blues-rock heard on Different Shades of Blue.