Michael Powers - Revolutionary Boogie (2011)

It's tough to make out what, exactly, is so revolutionary about Michael Powers' Revolutionary Boogie. To be sure, Powers knows his material, and his brand of meaty, guitar-based blues is powerful and satisfying. However, the tunes remain well within the confines of the genre. Not that this is any terrible thing. Powers possesses a strong, expressive voice, and his singing nicely complements his thunderous guitar slinging. Throw in a few accents – the burbling organ on "I Miss Your Kissin'," the occasional splash of horns – and there's plenty to like here. A cover of Hendrix's "Spanish Castle Magic" falls a bit flat, but is made up for by a spirited rendition of Willie Dixon's "I Ain't Superstitious." The swaggering, instrumental title track and the frenetic "Bleeker Street Strut" are both all-out rockers that would bring alive any dance floor worth the name. This is a solid, energetic album for guitar aficionados and fans of modern electric blues. Revolutionary? Not quite. Very good? You bet.