Kenny Neal - What You Got (2000)

This is Neal's third album for Telarc and it's definitely one of his best releases to date. He's long been known for his Louisiana blues groove, but this CD will force critics and fans to reassess their take on Neal's sound. Tracks like "Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right," "Little Brother (Make a Way)," "I'm The Man Your Mama Told You About," "Loving on Borrowed Time," and "Deja Vu" are robust numbers that variously evince Chicago and Memphis influences, while the title track is a gorgeous bit of soul music that showcases Neal's mature voice. In fact, one of the major highlights of this collection is Neal's vocal work. He has become an exceptional blues singer, with a powerful and wonderfully nuanced voice. Add his excellent lead guitar work and make note of the fact that he wrote, or co-authored, nine of the 12 songs on this disc. The guy has become a multiple-threat bluesman and this album, in demonstrating that, has to be seen as a pivotal point in Neal's discography.