Free Radicals

Blues-rocker Walter Trout struts his stuff on , the follow-up to his self-titled 1998 major-label debut. Overall, it's another fine outing for rabid blues guitar fans, full of gritty, gutsy playing and well-executed band support. Although songwriting isn't the album's primary focus, there are a number of tough survivor's tales here that resonate pretty well. On the other side of the coin, his balladry tries to be sincere yet leans toward sentimentality, which can dissipate the fire of the harder-rocking tracks. Still, is an entirely worthy effort by one of contemporary blues-rock's most underrated instrumentalists.