Deep Fried Satisfied

On Deep Fried Satisfied, Claude Hay displays both a sure grasp of Delta blues fundamentals and a willingness to push against convention. Except for one track, this Australian guitarist wrote the songs, played them on homemade instruments and recorded them in his own studio. His slashing slide work lends a quivery sheen to “Get Me Some” (an ode to pizza) “Deep Fried Satisfied” (a warning against junk food overdose) and “Heading Home” (a bluesy valentine dedicated to his cat). Bad equipment and poor service come in for special condemnation on smoldering, funk-tinged tracks like “How Can You Live With Yourself” and “Don’t Give Me That.” The most surprising cut here is the hopped-up boogie treatment of Queen’s “We Will Rock You”; the most serious moment is the wailing gospel lament “Miss You So,” dedicated to Hay’s mother. The album veers from the raga-influenced instrumental “Two Zero Seven” to the down ‘n’ dirty stomper “Don’t Forget” without losing focus. These tracks maintain an aggressively quirky attitude while rocking with abandon.