Billy Thompson - A Better Man (2012)

Pardon the cliche, but Billy Thompson is a force of nature. Funky gospel infused Memphis-style soul oozes from his very being. His husky soulful voice wrapped up in a blues-hipster delivery is hard to resist, especially when it's propped up by a grooving band of A-list musicians such as Mike Finnigan, Kenny Gradney, Hutch Hutchinson, Johnny Lee Schell, Lenny Castro, The Texacali Horns and producer-drummer Tony Braunagel. The blues part of the equation is delivered by Billy's slithering electric slide work, that at times is so locked in with his voice that it's coming from one place. Finnigan's organ provides a groove-filled cushion for Billy's workouts to float atop. The percussion one-two punch of Braunagel and Castro beef-up the attack. The music possesses such freshness that it comes off as always being there. Nothing sounds forced. Billy's slide moves the tunes along effortlessly. (Greg "Bluesdog" Szalony/Blues Blast Magazine)