Dave Hole - Working Overtime (1993)

Even in a genre oversaturated with fast-jamming electric guitarists, this Australian singer-songwriter's improvisations are always original and occasionally revelatory. He's a surprisingly soulful singer, in a less-polished, B.B. King sort of way, and his constant solos never drown the focus of a catchy acoustic song like "Mean Old Airplane" or an electric stomper like "Stormy Seas." Ultimately, this 1993 CD is for guitar aficionados--Dave Hole's playing mimics his voice perfectly on the title track, and his slide achieves an Allman Brothers-style moan on Big Bill Broonzy's standard "Keys to the Highway." --Steve Knopper