That’s the album cover of a guy who has something on his mind. And on his latest release, Chasing The Sun, blues rocker Colin James does just that. The album’s eleven tracks (produced and arranged by Colin James and Colin Linden) are evidence to uphold the commonly-held notion that James is a “musician’s musician.” Joining him on various songs are Charlie Musselwhite, Lucinda Williams, Darryl Jones, and Charley Drayton. The opening number, “Protection” (with Lucinda Williams) does two things exceedingly well: it sets the artistic bar high for the rest of the tracks, and it whets the appetite and creates anticipation to hear them.

Colin James, who seems to prove once again that he is an ideal collaborator, has captured the essence of a well balanced, live performance—one where the songs, the musicians, the engineers, and the ideas they all present together matter. Each song is given a fresh presentation, grounded in the world of that song. There are no corners cut, no assumptions made, no significan question unasked. Colin James makes it all sound easy. That is an art in itself.