Lonely Nights In London

Ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell is inextricably linked with that storied band, and while his contribution to the group's iconic Decca years is unimpeachable, it's important to remember that he has rocked out on his own for nearly 30 years, with the occasional hiatus. Lonely Nights in London is Bell's first studio album in 12 years, but it's unmistakable all the same. Plying a blisteringly thick slab of pure commercial blues, it's obvious that Bell still has his fingers on the pulse of the what makes the genre breathe. With blistering riffs and lyrics that bring the Bayou blues straight into the heart of Ireland, there are few missteps across these ten tracks. The opening "You're My Only Woman" is a scene-setter and he brings his own spin to Muddy Waters' classic "Hoochie Coochie Man," without pause. The rest of the songs are a division between Bell's own songs ("On the Road Blues," "Nitrous Oxide," and the stunning "Belfast Blues") and meaty covers (Johnny Winter's "Dallas" and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band's "Shake Your Money Maker") before playing listeners out with the traditional "Taimse Im Chodladh." It's a reminder of and a tribute to his roots, both.