ROGER HURRICANE WILSON

The Way I Am

Blue Storm

6-54247-0731-2

On his second acoustic outing, The Way I Am, Roger Hurricane Wilson embraces the sound of Americana music. The songs here share roots with the blues, but he leans more explicitly toward a singer-songwriter mode than on most of his work.

            “How Much Is Enough?” opens the disc with a shot at overpaid CEOs who fail to find satisfaction no matter how much money and power they accumulate. Sure, it’s self-righteous, but it’ll strike a chord with anyone who knows how much the corporate boss is making compared to the rank and file. Wilson punctuates his vocal and acoustic guitar work with flashes of electric slide. Wilson is best known for his hard-driving electric blues, so this quiet, introspective disc is quite a contrast to his previous recorded work; with the exception of the uptempo “The Drive-In Picture Show,” The Way I Am remains low-key.

            Wilson tackles a handful of covers, including the Doc Watson instrumental “Doc’s Guitar” and strong readings of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice” and Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” (Wilson’s low growl is well-suited to the latter). But originals, including a trio of acoustic guitar instrumentals, dominate the 12-song set. “My Heart Can’t Stand One More Goodbye” is a straight-up country ballad (complete with pedal steel guitar courtesy of Bobby Kennedy) that would sound at home in Nashville. Wilson has a limited vocal range, but he imbues the song with plenty of feeling. He brings that same depth of emotion to “I Don’t Wanna Come Back,” a tribute to his late father.

            On the lighter side, “I Got Chased by a Three Legged Dog” pokes fun at a run of bad luck and features strong Dobro work. The delicate, disc-ending instrumental “Key Sunset” appropriately caps this acoustic side trip — a journey Wilson might want to take more frequently in the future.

MICHAEL COTE