It seems that these days, there are a bunch of underrated and underappreciated guitarists out there. From Chris Stapleton to Kingfish, the mainstream of music ignores these fantastic and creative guitar-based individuals. Another one of these who fits this category is Bluesman Tab Benoit. Noted for being a successful solo artist, he also plays an original Fender Thinline Telecaster with dual humbucking pickups. This album has little information to go by, but was recorded at Dockside Studio in Los Angeles and was released on 26 April 2011. The album itself runs for over 50 minutes. Let’s listen to this release, and we shall hear if it is any good.

1. Medicine begins with a searing, Blues riff that sounds absolutely fantastic. Hi-hats enter, and this tune sounds absolutely awesome to listen to. Soon enough, singing emerges that sounds sweet and divine throughout. A great and awesome listen about drinking and other deeds. This is some of the best 21st-century Blues guitar playing. Straight up. It sounds loud, awesome and fantastically groovy as well. Very, very cool to listen to. The band themselves have a fantastic groove and set of chops as well. The guitar solo section is absolutely divine, and very distinctively good to listen to as well. This tune runs for nearly six minutes in length, but is certainly worth every single moment of listening. There is a neat and interesting tune that deserves more listening and respect as such. A great song about boozing and enjoying life to the full, Tab Benoit certainly plays some mean guitar licks. Use of tremolo picking is in the solo, and he is in a class of his own. This is sensationally groovy and great to listen to. A truly great song, this is a great example of underrated postmodern listening that genuinely rewards the listener. Sweet. It has an extended solo section to conclude with, and Tab Benoit puts his Fender Thinline Telecaster HH to great use. It ends with a chaotic finale. Great job.

2. Sunrise begins with some slightly overdriven and sweet guitar riffs. Drums kick in, and this piece sounds pleasantly enjoyable, a bit reminiscent of The Rolling Stones. The singing emerges, which sounds sweet and great throughout. All in all, this music is a great listen, and it consistently shows through at this stage. The guitar parts are fantastic, as is the organ in the background here. A really cool and rather good retro-sounding piece of music. The guitar sound, playing and tone throughout are absolutely top to hear, and it sounds amazing throughout. A clearly good and interesting tune which has soul and flavour to it all. This is the sort of music that transcends time and has a wonderful sound of its own. Awesome to hear and to listen to, this music is a winner. Great. It has a very Eric Clapton feel to it all.

3. A Whole Lotta Soul begins with some smooth and deep Blues guitar licks that sound really awesome. This quickly launches into a sweet and tasty tune that sounds absolutely fantastic. This music is completely swell and interesting throughout, with a whole dash of flavour, Blues and interest of note throughout. The tune sounds absolutely great to listen to, and it sounds killer. This is genuine proof that there are a bunch of underrated and understated guitarists out there at present. The soloing is absolutely majestic and takes a life of its own. A very solid and groovy listen throughout that sounds really cool and sweet. A supremely cool and interesting tune to listen to, this sounds absolutely wonderful and interesting to listen to. Very nice to hear, and this is inspired by the music greats of the past. Absolutely and undeniably awesome to hear. A groovy and interesting listen with some solid soloing throughout. This music keeps its flavour and soul throughout, and just sounds absolutely cool. A really great tune to savour.

4. Come And Get It is an uptempo and pleasant-sounding number that sounds undeniably cool to listen to. This music is sweet and sensationally good to listen to. A good song about lovemaking with some upbeat and different playing. The guitar solo section is joyous and mint. A really divine and sweet tune to listen to, the guitar solo section is really very impressive to listen to. This music sounds upbeat and amazing. This is genuine proof that Tab Benoit is someone today to pay attention to as a musician. Really very amazingly cool, and great to listen to as well. This is a decent and upbeat Blues Music number that sounds precise and glorious. Absolutely awesome to hear, and worth repeat listens, like the rest of the album so far.

5. Broke And Lonely begins with some strummed palm muting and drumsticks clacking, leading into a great and upbeat tune. Again, this is sweet and awesome to listen to. This is the real Blues, with a tune about being ruined by a partner, and left to rot. This is another solidly sweet and adventurous tune with guitars and drums and heavy, gritty Blues wailing throughout. A really excellent and interesting tune to listen to. The guitar solo is genuinely good and sounds as sweet as ear candy should. An absolutely awesome and divine listen, this music is a great representation of postmodern Blues, and how it really should be done. A really interesting song, this is a cool tune with knowledge of the right attitude and genuine listening appeal. A fantastic listen about being broke, alone and miserable, this is one for those of you who are doing it tough. A very good five and a half minute long song that sounds superb. The solo section towards the end is vibrant, loud and expressive throughout. A very, very good tune to listen to, this music sounds awesome and amazing throughout. Sensationally great Blues Music. It ends with a sense of energy and power throughout.

6. Long Lonely Bayou is an acoustic number with some fiddle accompaniment. It is a sad and mournful-sounding tune with some deep, throaty vocals throughout. An outstanding song that has some reminiscing of a lover long gone, this song can apply to most people out there in the world. No drums, just vocals, acoustic guitar and fiddle, all joined together into a brilliant piece of music. Absolutely majestic and different, this music is a winner and sounds bittersweet. Admittedly, these songs are fairly lengthy, if this album does have a flaw. Still, these songs are absolute winners throughout and just sound really great. A very divine and cool tune to listen to, this music is really great to enjoy if one is broken down and blue. Yes, this is a tearjerker tune and is one of those songs that sounds good to hear if you need to break down and cry to. All in all, this music is a great listen. Very, very gentle and nice.

7. In It To Win It begins with a drumming section that sounds fantastic. It quickly launches into a decent and interesting piece with pseudo-Funk Blues guitar that sounds amazing. Tab Benoit and friends sure know how to make good music. The song and playing here is fantastic, and the singing is deep and throaty, but melodic. All in all, this song is about being yourself and doing your best in life at what you are good at. Another searing guitar solo is present here, and this tune sounds absolutely divine. A very sweet and lovely tune with the spirit of the Blues and melodicism galore. This articulates the life of a travelling musician, and it sounds really honest, direct and cool. A very nice and decent listen, this sounds extremely sweet. The combination of original lyricism, fantastic singing and top-class music makes this a real winner. A really awesome and fantastic tune to listen to. Worth your time.

8. Can’t You See begins with some steady Blues guitar, fiddle and organ to match. This is a steady, sturdy and groovy tune that sounds absolutely sweet and desirable to listen to. A really top and awesome listen throughout, this music will never die, and it sounds legendary. Tab Benoit has cemented his place as an underrated music legend on this album, and he delivers a fine and sweet listening experience. This is mostly a calculated and extended jam, but it sounds really cool indeed. This is definitely not Pop Music, but it sounds absolutely amazing and thoroughly good throughout. A joyous, upbeat and wonderful listening experience throughout, which is extremely clever and lovely. The hollering and nonsensical vocals are great, as is the fiddle solo present. An absolutely awesome and sweet tune to listen to, this music is magical in the best sense of the word. A very legendary and unique tune that sounds incredibly wonderful, with a glimpse back at the music of the past. Enjoyable.

9. Nothing Takes The Place Of You begins with some dark guitar playing, and quickly enters into a sweet and lovely tune with character. This sounds absolutely amazing and powerfully moving throughout, and is about losing a long-time lover. A truly awesome and loveable tune, this is one of the sparkling gems of this album, and it sounds very amazing and unique throughout. It sounds a lot like Eric Clapton’s 1970s works, but with louder and more punchy electric guitar soloing throughout. This music is a sensationally sweet and lovely tune to devour, and it sounds absolutely great to hear. A top-notch and furiously powerful, and passionate ode to a lost love, one can recognise exactly the emotion and substance of a song such as this. A truly enjoyable and sweet listen throughout, this music is a clear winner for what it is. Absolutely fantastic and definitely worth a listen from start to finish. A truly great song to hear and to cherish, just like a lifelong lover.

10. Next To Me begins with snappy drums, punchy Fender Thinline Telecaster HH licks and a great groovy backbeat. Tab Benoit plays like a mean guitarist. This music is sweet, detailed and awesome to listen to. It just sounds amazing and pure, like the Blues should do. Absolutely, genuinely wonderful and great to hear, this music is a straight-up winner. Very, very cool to listen to and to enjoy. A great song about wanting to be beside a lover, this is top-quality and class 21st-century Blues Music. It sounds absolutely fantastic and uplifting throughout, just being a pure representation of what guitar-based music should be about. With distant references to lovemaking and such, this sounds absolutely wonderful and fantastic throughout. If you need a shot of the Blues, alongside romantic needs and a postmodern music vibe, this is what you should hear. The song is so good that a joyous laugh is heard, followed by a super sweet guitar solo to match. A great five-minute-long song that ticks all the right boxes. Certainly something to make you smile. Definitely worth hearing. It ends with a percussion shuffle and a guitar wrap-up.

11. Mudboat Melissa begins with a low-down and dirty set of guitar riffs, followed by fiddle and snappy drumming. This is the final track on the album, and again, it sounds great and confident. A really top-notch and awesome tune to listen to, this music is sweet and lovely throughout. The fiddle solo brings some genuine class and flavour to it all. A really punchy and raunchy sounding tune that sounds absolutely joyous and sweet. This music is genuinely great and cool to listen to, and it proves that Tab Benoit certainly has some energetic and sweet musical talent. Let’s hope he keeps this up throughout his career. The music throughout is insanely good to hear. This music is like the Django Reinhardt of Blues in the 21st century, and looks back to the history of Blues from way back. Absolutely awesome and sweet to hear, this music is a winner. Very, very good to listen to. The fiddle solo and crunchy sounding guitar are absolutely a joy to hear. An awesome tune to finish off a top album with songs that will last. It ends with a dramatic finish.

More needs to be said about Tab Benoit. His solo work and career prove that, at least on this album, he is relevant, exciting and very listenable. This music takes on the history of Blues and guitar-based music, and takes it to a whole new level that is decent, relevant and exciting. Its simplicity, beauty and power are all excellent. Should you listen to this album? If you love Blues or Rock Music and need someone from the 21st century to listen to who is brilliant at it, go for it. Fans of non-traditional music genres will want to look elsewhere, however.

Fantastic listening from a 21st-century artist.

9/10