Arriving after the unexpected blast of raw energy that was 2001's
Sweet Tea, 2003's
Blues Singer could idealistically be seen as the acoustic flip side of that high-voltage, raw electric blues. Like
Sweet Tea,
Blues Singer is supposed to exist deep down within the Delta blues tradition, only finding
Buddy Guy armed with an acoustic guitar and the occasional minimal accompaniment; it's even recorded at the same Mississippi studio that gave its name to the 2001 platter and is helmed by the same producer,
Dennis Herring. Where
Sweet Tea was filled with unpredictable song choices, however, this plays it safe, hauling out such familiar items as "Hard Time Killing Floor," "Crawlin' Kingsnake," "I Love the Life I Live," and "Sally Mae." And while this retains
Jimbo Mathus on guitar, when other musicians pop up, it's not the lively Fat Possum crew, it's studio pros like
Jim Keltner, or guest shots by superstars
Eric Clapton and
B.B. King. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine