Chris Thomas King has earned a reputation as a blues innovator. He hasn’t been afraid to explore hip-hop, sampling and unorthodox mixing techniques. His bravado paid major creative dividends on his 2002 album, “Dirty South Hip-Hop Blues.” However, his latest set is, at most, about half a blues record. It isn’t that Thomas is pushing the blues envelope again. Rather, he has cut several songs that are either rock songs or R&B numbers. “Why My Guitar Screams & Moans” is a strong outing, to be sure, anchored by the rugged three-chord blues ditty “Wicked”; a lovely, melodic R&B tune “A Song for Mama”; and “Legend,” a characteristic King blues rap, set to an arrangement that’s purely new R&B. The bottom line here is caveat emptor: King is clearly expanding his repertoire, so don’t approach this album with preconceived notions about his sound. The only expectation he fulfills on this CD is that he’ll continue to release compelling music.—PVV
