once precocious and ferocious, a fevered attack reminiscent of the late Luther Allison (whose "Cherry Red Wine" Lang incinerates to close this set). On the downside, Lang still oversings at just about every moment. Of course, trying to sound meaner, older, blacker than you are has been a flaw of the white-boy blues since back in the day – Clapton was guilty of it as recently as From the Cradle.

Lang co-wrote three of the tunes on Wander, and they're good ones. The seething ballad "Walking Away" is particularly strong. Lang leans into it with all his might, and the song withstands his assault – which too little of his material is able to do. As a result, you tend to find yourself waiting for the solos, and they never disappoint. Really, as a player, Lang is simply frightening. And if an equally expressive voice – as a writer, as a singer – is yet to come to his young-man blues, he's got plenty of time to burn. (RS 800)

ANTHONY DECURTIS