Bobby Rush - Undercover Lover (2003)

Bobby plays to all his strengths on this solid release on his own Deep Rush imprint- everything from grinding 12-bar blues, Southern Soul, soul/blues dance-workouts and even a pop-soul ballad, "Love Is A Gamble". The smash "Dirty Dog" is Southern Soul melody on top of some bottom-heavy drums and sweet keyboard swatches. That urban wit shines on the slow grinding folkfunk/blues "Tough Titty" with the refrain: "That's a tough titty y'all/And can't nobody suck it but a lion". The album is a mix of live musicians and synths and Rush has never sounded better vocally.