WALTER TROUT

What would Blind Willie Johnson have thought about Facebook and Occupy Wall Street? Guitar great Walter Trout ventures his best guesses on his 21st album, using Johnson’s country-blues style as a jumping-off point. The fun is hearing where he lands. On “Money Rules the World,” the former John Mayall sideman busts out his wailing wah-wah and rails against politicians and fat cats. With “Lonely,” he searches for human connection in a world of social media. Trout is a master of moods, and on “Turn Off Your TV,” his stinging Strat licks complement his lyrics, cackling at boob-tube pitchmen. His notes on “Never Knew You Well” exude a kind of anger and disappointment that can’t be captured in a blog post.