A one man blues band from Scotland? That would be Mike Whellans. Renowned for many a year for his musical prowess, he has released a new album called "Fired Up & Ready".
For the most part, the songs on this album are pretty much standard blues songs whether self penned or from well known practitioners of the genre like Sleepy John Estes or John Lee Hooker. The performances are polished and there's a pretty damn fine take on Rory Gallagher's "Going to My Home Town" that is enhanced by a guest appearance by Brian Miller on mandolin. Likewise, the presence of Alastair White's fiddle on "Red Hot Kisses" raises the temperature to boiling point and on "Pinetop Moon", a couple of members of the Battlefield Band casually twist this fairly standard blues songs into an altogether more surreal trip into the misty glens of Scotland.
Altogether, this is a pretty conventional set of blues songs that will make fans of the genre happy but the best parts are where he seasons the mix with some stellar guests. Then things really start cooking. Worth your money? Reckon so.