On his third album, Moss erupts with glowing guitar phrases that honor his heroes Buddy Guy and Jimmy Dawkins without being mired in the past. His singing has a certain naturalness and crispness, too. As a songriter, the young Chicagoan gives his band the Flip Tops and guests (among them, Muddy Waters' drummer Willie "Big Eyes" Smith and Texas guitarist Anson Funderburgh) a batch of solid originals to latch on to. He also redefines the possibilities of old material from Leroy Carr's "Barrelhouse Woman" to Floyd Jones’ "Ain't Times Hard." Moss is in it for the long haul.

—Frank-John Hadley