Sue Foley - Where The Action Is (2002)

Guitarist Sue Foley returns with Where the Action Is, a confident collection of original material and covers, like 2000's Love Comin' Down. A highlight is "Two Bluebirds," a slow, laconic paean to the effort that goes into love. Foley's distinctive voice, which may not appeal to all tastes, is perfect for this song; her drawn-out enunciation goes hand-in-glove with the slower, hot-weather material. The cover of the Rolling Stones' "Stupid Girl" is unsurprising, given that Foley's a Stones fan, but her considerable guitar skills and distinctive voice work best with her own material. In this case, that's mostly the country-inflected blues-rock that is her forte, with occasional forays into classic rock and R&B (her take on "Roll with Me, Henry" rolls along with the confidence born of consummate skill). And, maybe just to show she can, she takes a stab at traditional blues with "Down the Big Road Blues" and hits the mark dead center. With Where the Action Is, Foley continues to live up to the potential that's been evident since her first album. Listening to her has become an unmitigated pleasure. --Genevieve Williams