Walter Trout may have fulfilled his wishes with the latest cd titled Full Circle. There are no filler cuts to take up space. Getting together buddies to make a record can have the worst results. The overall package can sound force and stiffed with a sound mired in shallow production.
In his quest to move the blues forward, Walter assembles a cast of characters that are the cream of the crop in blues circles worldwide. In the past, Trout's albums have been hard rockin standards. In Full Circle, the blues seems to be Walter's main calling card.
And his guitar work still reaches blistering heights. Collaborating with up and coming torch bearer Joe Bonamassa, there's no holding back the flood in the blues rockin "Clouds On The Horizon." At last we get to see Walter pack his bags and head to the state of Mississippi. Not one to pick up an acoustic guitar too much, his living room session with Eric Sardinas produces a "FireHouse Mama" that sounds right at home on Muddy Water's front porch.
There's never a dull moment here. Working with former employer John Mayall, Trout cranks out a Chuck Berry styled rocker in "Highway Song" and mixes American and British blues in "She Takes More Than She Gives."
This seemed to be the goal of Walter's: bridging the gap between the past and the future with all these guest players. Trout can wear many hats. Playing with Canned Heat alumni Junior Watson bebops its way through "Slap Happy." Walter jams with organ player Deacon Jones in the jazzy "After Hours" that's a far cry from his hyper-kinetic fretwork. Instead of speed and flash, there's a graceness with soul.
Walter doesn't hang up his rock n roll shoes. He trades some hot notes with Canadian guitarist Jeff Healey in "Workin Overtime" and rocks his way with Bernard Allison in "When Will It Ever Change."
Every one of his releases exceeds the expectations put down by his long time following. Though he is an artist that sends purists running for the hills, Full Circle finds Walter coming home to his true roots. If you don't like the man now, then give up hope and move on.
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