Review: Joe Bonamassa – Breakthrough

J&R Adventures (July 18^th, 2025)

Reviewer – Peter Scallan

There is one thing for sure! Nobody can say Joe Bonamassa doesn’t put a shift in! In the last two years he has released two live albums and three studio albums including the Black Country Communion album ‘V‘. I have also seen him twice , catching his own tour in Glasgow and then Black Country Communion in Vienna. Both shows illustrated that he has moved up a a notch in terms of showmanship and audience interaction and has become a little more ‘rock and roll’. This album picks up on that and builds on 2021’s ‘Time Cocks‘ (review here), albeit there was a blues intermission in 2023 with ‘Blues Deluxe Volume 2‘ (review here).

The album opens with the title track ‘Breakthrough‘ which was the lead ‘single’ from the track a few months ago. Opening with an almost delta blues infused chorus, the song is driven by an walking bass line which has a revolving rhythmic pattern to it. Definitely a blues rocker setting the pace from the get-go. The pace is maintained by the pacey blues rocker ‘Trigger Finger‘ which sounds to me like mash-up of Stevie Ray Vaughn and ZZ Top! With two contrasting guitar parts, one being a ferocious riff and the other a clean finger picking riff, it really rocks along.

‘I’ll Take the Blame‘ slots into the more traditional blues fare Bonamassa offered up in the earlier part of his career with another splash of Billy Gibbons playing Texas blues and bounces along nicely on a great rhythm. A change of groove is up next with the funkiness of ‘Drive By the Exit Sign‘. A really danceable tune – am I allowed to say that for Joe Bonamassa? It veers into soul territory for the superb catchy chorus with some outstanding female backing vocals and counter lines which have been a feature of live shows for a while.

‘Broken Record‘ is the closing track of the first half of this ten-track offering and opens with some beautiful guitar playing over organ and keyboard strings and shows Bonamassa at his sensitive best. However, when the chorus crashes in with a huge guitar riff, we get real light and shade. This is further highlighted in the rhythm behind the solo section. Coming in at nearly seven minutes, it holds your attention is it weaves its way through the story being told.

‘Shake This Ground‘ is the opener for the second half (for those listening on vinyl!) and opens with a great acoustic guitar rhythm. While this is another of the laid-back tracks with a country vibe going on, it is built around a powerful, slightly pacey rhythm section. In addition, Bonamassa’s vocals have a warmth and maturity and he seems to be evolving from being a guitarist who sings into a vocalist with powerful and emotive delivery. Next up is the swinging Still Walking With Me and this is another danceable number. Interspersed with some fine guitar playing, it reminds me a little of Robert Cray and has another fine vocal performance and another catchy chorus.

‘Life After Dark‘ as its names suggests takes a slightly darker turn and is a brooding tale of loneliness and new beginnings. For me, its more rock with a blues rock groove which continues the evolution in the songwriting and is atmospheric and powerful. We are then thrusted into the fastest rocker I have heard from Bonamassa entitled You Don’t Own Me. Opening with a full band blast and then brief respite before the song shoots off at break-neck speed by Bonamassa’s standard. An out and out rocker indeed, riffing away like a madman, it really adds to the Bonamassa repertoire.

Sadly, we are at the last number of the album and it on first listen couldn’t help but think I had heard it before. Called ‘Pain’s On Me‘ the guitar riff is almost identical to that of ‘The Heart That Never Waits‘ from ‘Time Clocks‘ but played faster! It has a melodic groove that shuffles along and is a great song in its own right. However, I do struggle a little with the fact that main guitar motif is the same as the above named song. Maybe Bonamassa thought it worth revisiting if not happy with the first attempt? Let’s be honest, he wouldn’t be the first musician to do so!

What’s the verdict then? Well, while this album may not win over many new fans, but for me it most certainly continues the evolution started on ‘Time Clocks‘ in terms of songwriting. Its another album full of original songs with help from a few co-writers and adds more depth and dynamics to the song structures and arrangements. Furthermore, I really do think Bonamassa is emerging as a vocalist in his own right. Subsequently, this album completely knocks it out the park for me and it will be getting added to my ever-growing Bonamassa collection!

Tracklist

1. Breakthrough 
2. Trigger Finger 
3. I’ll Take The Blame 
4. Drive By The Exit Sign 
5. Broken Record 
6. Shake This Ground 
7. Still Walking With Me 
8. Life After Dark 
9. You Don’t Own Me 
10. Pain’s On Me 

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