Ten years after his first all- album, , released , an album-length tribute to his hero, the legendary bluesman . Not that this is the first time has paid tribute to . Throughout his career, has not only drawn on for inspiration, but he has covered his songs at pivotal moments: on his classic album with ; on the first album; and, most memorably, the rampaging cover of on that became his anthem and arguably his defining moment. Considering this long history, perhaps a full-length tribute was inevitable, yet still is welcome, in part because it's been a long time since this guitarist has sounded so comfortable and relaxed, as if he was having fun making music. With the possible exception of the spotty yet charming duet album , this is simply the most enjoyable record he's made since , and in some respects it's a better album than that since it never sounds as doggedly serious as that guitar-heavy affair. Given the somber, sometimes chilling lyrics wrote -- admits that "At first [his music] scared me in its intensity," an accurate summary of the haunting nature of those 29 sides the bluesman cut in the '30s -- it's a little ironic that this tribute winds up being fun, not somber, but the light touch makes for a better album. That lightness comes from the deep love holds for this music, since the enthusiasm and enjoyment he and his band -- all the old regulars like plus on keyboards -- give the performance results in the album's light, infectious feel. While that does result in versions of and that sound anything but haunted, they do sound nicely next to the up-tempo rave-ups of since all of them sound like is having a hell of a good time. Some might take issue with this, and others may find the album too slickly produced -- admittedly, albums should never boast a credit for Pro Tools, as this does -- but this is a heartfelt tribute that's among 's most purely enjoyable albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine