Microsoft's co-founder Paul Allen has made his love of music no secret, as anyone who's set foot in Seattle's Experience Music Project Museum can attest. Proceeds from this album will go toward educational programs at the museum. Allen's debut album shouldn't come as a surprise, only that it's taken him this long to get around to it. The songs are generally blues-based rock 'n' roll tunes with plenty of room for guitar solos and classic rock moves that any hardcore fan of early 1970s blues-rock would find comforting. Blues-rock guitar players, in particular, have plenty to check out. In fact, despite a decent list of known guests —  Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart for "Straw Into Gold," Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders on "Rodeo" and Joe Walsh of the James Gang and the Eagles for "Six Strings from Hell" — the real star moments are with the guitars, whether it be Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall or Allen and his Underthinkers. Allen's career earned him access, but he taught himself the music.