Larry McCray - Believe It (2000)

Magnolia, AR, native Larry McCray is not always mentioned when the subject of hot blues guitarists arises. That sort of oversight borders on criminal neglect. Believe It is just the sort of showcase that will make McCray's chops stick in the minds of blues fans. He's the complete package: a stirring vocalist blessed with a formidable guitar technique who can also help himself out as a songwriter (co-writing with brother/drummer Steve). Cue up the track "Love Gone Bad" and sit back for a guitar/vocal tour de force. McCray evokes a dirty guitar sound to die for and backs it up with a fierce vocal effort that would send any audience into a fit. The way in which McCray brings together the elements of this number is a specific clue as to the general excellence of Believe It. McCray folds blues, rock, and soul into a visceral, exciting sound that gives the lie to a lot of the blues pretenders out there nowadays. Anyone who takes a spin through this disc will, indeed, believe it by the time they're finished. This record burns with the sort of intensity and blues savvy that makes the genre something special, in the hands of the right artist.