In The Skies (Expanded Edition)

After almost a decade of personal, drug-addled hell since his 1970 debut The End of the Game, Peter Green begins his comeback with In the Skies, and a title tune that sounds downright hopeful compared to where he left off. Although Green shares lead guitar work with Snowy White, it's clear from his fluid technique and haunting tone that he can still play. "A Fool No More" is the kind of slow blues Green excels at. Robin Trower drummer Reg Isidore gives way on one track to Godfrey McLean, who played on The End of the Game. Green dips even farther back into his past, courtesy of keyboards by Pete Bardens, who gave him his first professional music job in 1966 in a band with Mick Fleetwood. Green's singing, never a particular strength, is not a weakness here. Five of the nine songs are instrumentals, continuing a longtime Green tradition. It's an unambitious but solid and welcome return by a guitarist who in his prime rivaled Eric Clapton. If that seems far-fetched, listen to A Hard Road by John Mayall's Bluebreakers or Then Play On by Fleetwood Mac. ~ Mark Allan