Railroaded!

The blues scene is quite diverse in the 21st century. Some bluesmen are greatly influenced by jazz, some have strong soul and funk leanings, and some are quite mindful of rock. Eric Gales definitely falls into the third category; he has been a skillful representative of muscular blues-rock, drawing heavily on Jimi Hendrix's influence and showing his appreciation of Cream, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Robin Trower as well. The singer/guitarist maintains that outlook on Transformation, which is really more of a continuation than a transformation. The title Transformation implies that Gales is somehow reinventing himself or moving in a different direction, but no, this 2011 release is not a big stylistic departure from his previous recordings.