GILBERT, PAUL

There was almost certainly a lot of lip-pooching going on at the sessions for Raw Blues Power, which teams shred virtuoso Paul Gilbert with his uncle and childhood hero, Jimi Kidd, for a disc of blues-rock. The results certainly sound nothing like anything resembling traditional blues, instead gravitating more toward the late 20th century bastardization of the genre as a platform for fast playing. Accepting that as a genre of its own, Raw Blues Power contains some fine dual playing from Gilbert and Kidd. The songs are mostly interchangeable and veer toward power pop at times (such as the anthemic "Freedom"). For Gilbert, late of Mr. Big, the project is surely a step in an interesting -- or at least new -- direction. The record doesn't necessarily push in bold new directions, but it's well played, well produced, and the musicians are clearly having a good time at the gig. ~ Jesse Jarnow, AMG

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