Everything I Need

Finally available in the States in 2006, this was U.K. blues-rock guitarist Aynsley Lister's second European album, released in his homeland back in 2001. No reasons are given as to the five-year delay, but since this style of music doesn't change substantially from one year to the next, it doesn't sound dated. On the contrary, the production by Jesse Davey is clean, crisp and full, bringing presence to Lister's guitar playing and smooth, likeable vocals. There's no getting around the Stevie Ray Vaughan influences and Lister even interprets Hendrix's "Little Wing" as did the Texas legend. His solo version is impressive, though, and adds a personal touch that resonates with emotion. Lister works well in the acoustic format too, especially on the untitled closing hidden track and a stunning cover of Tony Joe White's "As the Crow Flies." The rest of the album is comprised of originals, all of which feature his boyish vocals and solid, if not terribly distinctive tunes. There are solos on almost every track, but Lister keeps them compact and concise, a rarity for young guitar slingers in his field. Some tunes such as "In the Beginning" and the Steve Miller- styled "I Believe" show a tendency for pop/rock with hooks crafted with radio play in mind. "Quiet Boy," the album's only instrumental, gives Lister room to strut his rugged string bending stuff on a fast shuffle. "Need Her So Bad" is a pleasant but ultimately cliched slow blues that seems slightly out of place on a disc that generally aims for a more mainstream approach. ~ Hal Horowitz