David Gogo

David Gogo plays music like the consummate music fan - incapable of zeroing in on any one genre in favour of celebrating many of his beloved inspirations. Which accounts for the wide-ranging selections on his newest Cordova Bay release, Skeleton Key. From tortured blues and sweet soul music to blistering boogie and slinky shuffles, Gogo gives it all a go. And he gets it right the first time, which he's more or less been doing for the past five solo albums. Whereas his recent Halfway To Memphis was largely blues via rock'n'roll, this disc sends the VU meter into the red. Despite the slight testosterone overload, standout tracks reveal themselves, including Otis Rush's "Reap What You Sow" (Gogo's best solos seem to be slow burns) and his harp-driven, near-menacing reworking of "Personal Jesus" (demonstrating a marked improvement in his sometimes lacklustre vocals). This is a rock-solid, beer-drinking record to start off any summer weekend with - plain and simple, but lovingly to the point.