Mark Selby is best known as a songwriter. He’s written songs covered by the likes of the Dixie Chicks and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. But, here, on his Vanguard debut, he rocks out as his own man. It’s nice to hear someone so comfortable with the roots rock/blues sounds.

Cuts like “Don’t You Throw That Mojo On Me” are straight-ahead bar-room rockers with nasty slide guitar leading the way. “She’s Like Mercury” might bring the Stones to mind with crunchy guitar riffs and rough, but soaring, vocal harmonies. If big-ole’fat funky guitar is more your style, there’s “You’re Gonna Miss My Love.” “Smoked” is roots-rock heaven. And, the solo is perfect. Short and economical and nasty as hell. Just the way it should be. Rounding things out is the title cut. It’s an acoustic blues that is forebonding to the point of giving you goosebumps.

I can’t recommend this enough. It’s one of those albums that grows on you. By the fourth or fifth listen you marvel at its simplicity. But, that’s not to take it lightly. There’s a real art in writing songs this good and making them sound this way.