Buddy Guy
stands his ground as a blues journeyman and icon on 2025's
Ain't Done With the Blues
. His 20th studio album, it arrives just as the legendary, Lousiana-born guitarist and singer celebrates his 89th birthday. It also comes on the heels of his surprise appearance in director
Ryan Coogler
's hit vampire action-drama Sinners; a role that built crucially on
Guy
's storied blues reputation and which he also underscores on
. The album once again finds him working with longtime producer/drummer
Tom Hambridge
, digging into a blend of rootsy and soulful sounds that bring to mind each era of his career. On "Been There Done That," he underscores the epic, journeyman nature of his life, singing "I shake my head and I can't believe the hell that I've been through/My life is like a movie, but every scene is true." While
's trademark, swaggering electric twang is the core sound on the album, there are several moments of earthy acoustic intimacy, including the opening "A Hooker Thing," where we hear him exclaim that the
John Lee Hooker
-style shuffle was one of the first things he learned. Later, he evokes the spirit of
Lightnin' Hopkins
on "One from Lightnin'," an acoustic reworking of the
Muddy Waters
standard "Gypsy Woman." As well as his own history, he spotlights the next generation, joining forces with 26-year-old guitarist
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
on the funky "Where U At." Conversely, he offers a trilogy of team-ups with other guitar legends, diving into the sludgy "How Blues Is That" with
Joe Walsh
, conjuring a soulful world-weariness on "Dry Stick" with
Joe Bonamassa
, and trading some heavy Chicago blues riffs on "It Keeps Me Young" with
Peter Frampton
. He also surrounds himself with the warm gospel harmonies of the
Blind Boys of Alabama
on "Jesus Loves the Sinner." Elsewhere, he slides into the slow electric grind of "Blues on Top" and serves up some punchy, horn-driven R&B on "Upside Down." While there's certainly a fun, barroom swagger to
's work here, he isn't too afraid to dig into deeper emotions. This is especially true on "I Don't Forget," a defiantly ruminative, minor-key anthem about growing up in a racist society, punctuated by a searing electric guitar solo. With
,
has made an album that encapsulates his long career, just as it proves how vital an artist he remains. ~ Matt Collar