Music Review: Bonnie Raitt, Dig In Deep

Like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, BB King and other legendary guitarists, Bonnie Raitt has an instantly recognisable guitar sound.

In the blues and gospel genres, there are only a few female role models on which she was able to draw - Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Memphis Minnie come to mind.

So Bonnie has essentially carved her own distinctive approach to electric slide guitar playing on her own.

Ten Grammy Awards into her career is an admirable place to launch yet another first-class album. Dig In Deep is, in fact, her seventeenth record and represents a continuation of the commercial success she's experienced since recovering from alcohol and drug problems in the late 80s, and her breakthrough 1989 album Nick of Time, which sold six million copies in the US alone.

Listening to Dig In Deep, it's easy to become distracted by Bonnie Raitt's guitar work, from subtle to searing licks. But then it dawns on you. She's a damn fine singer too, plus she's written half of the songs on the album.

The band is tight, reflecting the fact most of them, notably Ricky Fataar drums, George Marinelli guitars and vocals, Mike Finnigan keys and James Hutch Hutchinson bass, have been with Bonnie for yonks.

There's a rollicking sort of feel through most of the tracks, without them falling into the trap of sounding same-y. Add in a unique sounding version of the INXS hit Need You Tonight, and of course the essential Bonnie Raitt ballads in Undone and Joe Henry's You've Changed Your Mind.

And she puts aside the guitar and steps up to the piano for her most personal track, The Ones We Couldn't Be. Raitt delivers and doesn't disappoint.

Rating: 3/5 stars.