A number of years after being liberated from Supersonic Blues Machine, Lance Lopez is again and higher than ever. Wielding exhausting classes from the highway and the affect of gamers named Billy, Jimi, and B.B., his newest album, Bother is Good, is wild, blistering, and hellacious. As proof, he rips holy hell on slide guitar through the opening monitor, “Simple To Go away,” exhibiting that Shreveport’s favourite son is simply getting warmed up.

On “Jam With Me,” Lopez welcomes listeners on a euphoric blues-rock odyssey with assist from his Gibson Firebird and veteran rock drummer Gregg Bissonette. A schweet bottleneck intro introduces the rockin’ title monitor, whereas “Wild Nation” exhibits that Lopez can slam with the perfect of them, fusing British rock and roll and Texas flame

That is an album for extroverts, slowing down just for the crunchy ballad “Uncivil Conflict,” with Lopez reflecting on the state of the world, and the seven-minute mystical opus “Voyager: Dawn, Voyager, I Am Ra.”

Discerning blues-rock fan? Come and get it!

This text initially appeared in VG’s December 2023 challenge. All copyrights are by the writer and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.