March 1998

Chris Thomas King
Chris Thomas King
Scotti Bros.

By Bill Milkowski

Once upon a time, Chris Thomas was going to be the next Prince (as in the artist formerly known as). He made his major label debut with Sire/Warner Bros. in 1990 before fading from that scene. Now he's back, reincarnated as Chris Thomas King, a nod to blues luminaries B.B., Albert and Freddie King. The only thing on his self-titled latest (Scotti Bros. 72392 75526-2; 42:38) that bears any resemblance whatsoever to the blues is "I Cried," "L.A. Angel" and an updating of Albert King's "I'll Play The Blues For You." The rest of this slickly produced, contempo-pop is of little interest to true blues fans.