Perpetual Obscurity
Thorn’s a songwriter, not a fighter.
The former pugilist traded in his boxing gloves more than 10 years ago after going so far as to fight Roberto Duran on national TV, opting instead to make music. Hailing from Tupelo, Miss., he has a blues-gospel viewpoint that informs his country-rock-R&B output.
Vanguard
Who is this guy? Where did he come from? Did he really write, arrange and perform all these great songs himself, playing virtually every note on the album?
Ruf
That’s what friends are for.
Helping their bud make one righteous album of blues, rock and all the nuances between, that is. And these guys aren’t just acquaintances: Most are people Trout has worked with extensively at one point or another of his 35-year career.
Premier Artists
Taking a cue from his last release’s Led Zeppelin-influenced track “The River,” blues-rock guitar wunderkind Bonamassa teams with producer Kevin Shirley (engineer/mixer for Zep’s “How the West Was Won”) to great effect.
Lakeside Lounge
Sometimes an album is so good, the listener has to consult the booklet to see who’s playing what, track by track. Such is the case with “Put the Hammer Down” (don’t worry — it’s not a truck-driving album), the second release from the Yayhoos.
