JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR

Diamonds in the Dirt

rufrecords.de

Joanne Shaw Taylor has been hailed as one the best blues breakout artists of the last few years. The native Brit now residing in Detroit is a double threat on guitar and vocals, and her 2009 opus White Sugar netted a host of critical kudos. Her follow-up Diamonds in the Dirt builds on the momentum generated by its predecessor, presenting 10 scorching selections that find Taylor demonstrating her guitar prowess on a stirring set of riveting original blues-based rockers. Taylor rarely bows to restraint, and—the closer “The World and Its Way,” the easily ambling “Same As It Never Was” and title track aside—the music maintains a fiery dynamic throughout.

Taylor’s searing fretwork sports an even blend of frenzy and finesse, often bringing to mind the dazzling pyrotechnics of forebears like Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix. As a singer she moves easily from a whisper to a wail, as demonstrated by leadoff track ”Can’t Keep Living Like This,” which starts out in contemplative acoustic mode and briskly escalates to a full-out assault. There’s a hint of vulnerability in her delivery, but it’s mostly marked by visceral angst and intensity—nearly every track is a veritable tour de force. The near-perfect Diamonds is one precious commodity.