Doyle Bramhall II - Jellycream (1999)

Continuing with the modern-day soul-blues vibe of his debut album, Doyle Bramhall II breaks down more boundaries with his second record, Jellycream. Again, he works with Wendy & Lisa and his former bandmate Charlie Sexton, but he brings Mitchell Froom into the picture, which guarantees some low-rent experimental vibes. And that does rear its ugly head on occasion throughout the album, reminding that Bramhall's intentions are good even if he doesn't quite know how to follow through on them just yet. Nevertheless, there are some very, very good moments throughout Jellycream, moments where he brings together the emotional force of Texas blues-rock, the melodicism of modern day soul, and the maverick spirit of a musician that wants to rewrite the rules. Those moments that work make up for the moments that don't quite connect.