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In the summer of 2016 I lived in Ibiza. I played 50 sunsets on the Spanish island and across the Mediterranean in Italy. When the season was over, reflecting on this busy time, I decided that my favourite place wasn’t so much one physical place, it was more a feeling that occurred at a certain time of day. My favourite place was anywhere, just before sunset, especially if there was a clear view of the sun setting into the sea.

The seventh edition of the Coco Beach Ibiza compilation series provides the perfect musical soundtrack for a “Summer Of Love” with laid-back days and balmy summer nights of Ibiza. The Volume 7 was again created in cooperation with DJ Danielle Diaz & Kontor Records and comes as a 3 CD set in their noble digipack: CD1 - Good Morning Ibiza, CD2 - Life Is Better At The Beach, CD3 - Ibiza Night. All of them framed in a must-have luxurious package, surprising and attractive hiding a little booklet of photos inside reflecting the best tendencies of Coco Beach Ibiza, located on one of the most beautiful beaches in Playa d’en Bossa…

Coco Montoya's second album for Alligator records finds the guitarist moving away from the sound of his mentor, Albert Collins – although there certainly are licks throughout the album clearly inspired by "the Iceman," particularly when the tempo slows down – and toward big rock productions. This album sounds huge: The rhythm section provides a gigantic foundation, sprawling from speaker to speaker, then the keyboards and backing vocals are added, with guitars pushed to the forefront. On top of that, Montoya is demonstrating a greater inclination to soul and R&B than ever before, choosing to cover Holland-Dozier-Holland (a terrific take on "Something About You"), along with other tuneful soul tunes, and writing it that vein as well.

West coast bluesman Coco Montoya has been known as a major guitar threat for years – we are, after all, talking about a guy who learned at the feet of Albert Collins – but after all this time spent focused on pursuing the blues fret-burner path, Montoya shows a new side of himself on I Want It All Back. There's plenty of piercingly lyrical guitar work, of course, but it's Montoya the singer who emerges as the dominant figure in these sessions, leaning into a smooth, soulful lilt that's not a million miles away from the sound of Los Lobos lead vocalist David Hidalgo. Not only that, Montoya is letting this cool-crooning approach lead him down different musical avenues, as well.

Montoya's first solo disc for Alligator finds the former Albert Collins sideman following in the doorsteps of his "godfather" with an album simply top-heavy with fiery guitar work and comfortable vocals. The production from Jim Gaines is as fat as any modern-day blues record has a right to be, and Montoya does not disappoint at any moment along the ride. He tips his hat to his old employer on Collins' "Get Your Business Straight," but the stronger tunes here come from Coco's own pen, like the closing "Nothing But Love." A strong and solid effort that also sounds great in the car when you're driving a little faster than the speed limit allows.