Coming Up for Air

After the critical and commercial triumph of 2007's ROLL AWAY, Isle Of Man blues-rock guitarist and singer Davy Knowles and his Back Door Slam returned in 2009 with the Peter Frampton-produced COMING UP FOR AIR. The Frampton connection is especially important since Knowles is stressing the rock side of his musical equation this time out, complete with AOR-worthy old-school songcraft such as the title track and "Tearing Down The Walls." No matter what the genre however, Knowles is without doubt a greatly gifted player; he takes the most smartly constructed solos with a rich, fat tone, very reminiscent of James Gang-era Joe Walsh. And even though bassist Adam Jones and drummer Ross Doyle have pursued a different musical path since this recording, right here these boys are a tight, rocking power trio who show more than a little substance.