Out Where the Blue Begins

Showing a deep knowledge and impeccable feel for traditional blues forms, Terry Garland's fourth album is an impressive step forward in his artistic evolution. Joined by Mark Wenner on harmonica, Garland's voice is taking on a weathered quality not dissimilar from that of John Hiatt's, adding another layer of authenticity to his already faithful sound. Still brimming with hypnotic slide playing and primitive foot stomping and positively attacking his National guitar in covers of Johnny Winter's "Dallas" and his original, "Blues Fell This Morning," Garland nonetheless doesn't get stuck in any one gear for too long. A mournful full horn section turns up on the smoldering "Courtesy of Love" and delicate vibes and trombone combine to make a gentle soul-groove cover of Sam Cooke's "Running Back to You." Still, Garland never strays too far from the seminal blues forms that he seems to radiate so effortlessly, never presuming he should write a new chapter in blues history, just happy to trace his finger along the best of the well-worn passages.