An accomplished follow-up, and well worth your time.

Despite having put out six records in his homeland of South Africa, Dan Patlansky only started getting major recognition elsewhere when he released the album 'Dear Silence Thieves'; a great record which saw him land a support slot with Joe Satriani, and was voted the "Best Blues Rock Album" by Blues Rock Review in the US, beating the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Rival Sons, Philip Sayce and The Black Keys.

That puts a lot of pressure on 'Introvertigo' to deliver, but as soon as 'Run' kicks in, you know you're in safe hands. The opening riff, booming drums and gritty vocals all channel the best moments from 'Dear...', and the Blues vibe of 'Poor Old John' works particularly well. The unusually titled 'Sonva Faith' also keeps the Patlansky flag flying, with the distinctive style of reverb-drenched, bottom heavy drums underpinning the Jimi Hendrix-inspired riff work.

Patlansky also sounds better vocally on this album to my ears; more confident and assured, particularly on the slower, piano-led 'Loosen Up The Grip' which boasts a great chorus and could easily be on the radio, if the radio actually paid attention to what was out there, rather than simply playing what they are paid to play by major labels. The cheerful 'Bet On Me' is another highlight. There's a Funk vibe about the energetic 'Stop The Messing', while 'Still Wanna Be Your Man' delivers in classic Blues fashion.

Dan Patlansky has played it smart; he's taken everything about what made 'Dear...' such a success and incorporated the same elements here, without making the same record twice. Indeed, I think he's improved vocally and in terms of strength of material, I'd say the two albums are very close. An accomplished follow-up, and well worth your time.

James Gaden