So, It's Like That

JOE BONAMASSA - SO, IT'S LIKE THAT - CD

New York guitar prodigy Joe Bonamassa opened for B.B. King before he was a teen, but blues is just the springboard for the sound on this second solo outing. Bonamassa spotlights his songwriting this time, using his fluid and fiery guitar work to punctuate muscular melodies more akin to anthemic arena rock than basic blues. While Bonamassa's debut disc, A New Day Yesterday, featured a supporting cast of Gregg Allman, Rick Derringer, and Leslie West, the follow-up keeps the focus on his power trio, with drummer Kenny Kramme and bassist Eric Czar providing most of the accompaniment (although keyboardist Cliff Magness creatively colors around the edges). Bonamassa is indeed a certifiable fretboard phenom, consistently capable of startlingly effective solos, but he's also a strong singer, and that's what makes the collection of songs, a dozen of the 13 cowritten by Bonamassa, successful. The title track, complete with a sizzling solo, sustains a Southern blues-rock feel, but most of the other songs, such as the power pop "Unbroken," the hard-rocking "Sick in Love," and the retro "Never Said Goodbye," which features Bonamassa on mandolin, showcase his abilities in different stylistic settings. --Michael Point