Triple Fret

Album Review

As the title and cover art suggests, Triple Fret is a player's album. Although Bernard Allison gets star billing (and does all the vocals), this is a trio record, with fellow electric blues guitarists Larry McCray and Carl Weathersby contributing as much guitar firepower as Allison. Even better, second-generation Hammond organ legend Lucky Peterson guests, adding some welcome musical variety to the otherwise fret-heavy selection and getting his own showcase, the smoking seven-minute instrumental workout "Where's Lucky?" That leaves the songwriting as the only weak spot, but unfortunately, it's pretty seriously weak. Most of the songs on Triple Fret are hackneyed Chicago blues riffs with self-referential lyrics about how hard it is to be a bluesman. Tune out the lyrics and the undistinguished chord changes and the sheer enjoyment of the trio's playing comes through. For some, however, that might not be quite enough.