Larry McCray - Delta Hurricane (1993)

Blues guitarist and vocalist Larry McCray's second Pointblank CD gets off to a dreary start with the title track, a tune with neither interesting lyrics nor a good arrangement. But after that flop fades, the remaining 10 cuts are almost as powerful as the material on his critically acclaimed debut. McCray has the kind of tough, down-in-the-dirt voice you can neither fake nor acquire. His guitar work is equally authentic; there aren't any flashy phrases or flamboyant riffs, just pile-driving lines, barreling statements and energetic support for his vocals. There aren't many better contemporary blues albums being made by major labels; McCray is the real deal.