Blue guitar virtuoso Joe Bonamassa is slated to release his newest effort, Breakthrough, on July 18. This record will mark his 25th solo record and his first since 2024’s Different Shades Of Blue (Overdrive). Breakthrough sees Bonamassa bring classic blues guitar, southern comfort country, and fiery hard rock.
On the lead and self-titled single, Bonamassa again uses a gnarly guitar tone that complements his silky smooth voice. What instantly grabs listeners’ attention is the “stomp your feet and clap your hands” chant of the chorus. This immediately hooks the listener in and prepares them for the rest of the song. Another constant is that you can hear his entire band clearly. The sound and production are mixed very well. Breakthrough sees long-time creative partner and producer Kevin Shirley perfectly capture the live sound from Bonamassa’s spectacular band.
“Breakthrough” has a run time of just over four minutes. The length is perfect for an opening track. It’s not too long and drawn out, yet it gets to the point and doesn’t leave room for confusion about how phenomenal the record will be. Throughout the track, you can almost picture Bonamassa in his best suit with one of his many amazing guitars.
I enjoyed how the chorus sweeps you off your feet and brings you in close. But, once you return to the meat of the song, Bonamassa releases you and allows you to breathe before drawing you back in. It’s amazing to see Bonamassa crank out new solo after new solo while also remaining true to his blues-rock core. It’s easy to see why he is a four-time Blues Music Award Winner. He can dabble in other musical territories while simultaneously dabbing his blues-rock paintbrush in the same area.
It wouldn’t be a Bonamassa song or record without another speechless solo. Slightly over the halfway mark of the record, Bonamassa rips through another solo. Bonamassa’s solo lasts over 20 seconds, but it isn’t overly flashy. He can keep the melody chugging throughout the solo while also expanding on thoughts and ideas on the fretboard that make the solo straightforward and to the point. It’ll be one thing to hear this song played live with the solo, but it’ll be a real spectacle to see how Bonamassa further expands on the solo if he feels like going down new avenues during his live show.
Fans are in for a real treat with Bonamassa’s newest record, Breakthrough. With how heavy a hitter the lead-off, self-titled single is, Bonamassa is setting fans up for another real blues rock classic. Whether it’s another magical solo or keeping to the core of the rhythm, students of Bonamassa’s style will be studying and listening to this song and this record over and over again until their earbuds break and their vinyl records wear out. Breakthrough is out everywhere on July 18, 2025.
Rating: 8/10
Album Track list
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
Photo by Ian Potter
About Joe Bonamassa
Blues-rock superstar Joe Bonamassa is one of the most celebrated performing musicians of today. As a four-time GRAMMY-nominated artist and 15x Blues Music Award Nominee (4-time winner), he achieved his 28th No.1 album on the Billboard Blues Chart with his most recent live album and concert film, Live at the Hollywood Bowl With Orchestra. Only in his mid-40s, Bonamassa has become a living legend with an astounding multi-genre catalog. He has released more than 50 albums, including studio and live recordings, as well as collaborative albums with his adventurous side projects: Black Country Communion and Rock Candy Funk Party.
A prolific writer who is always on the hunt to expand his eclectic musical horizons, Bonamassa has a limitless work ethic whether it’s in the studio, on the road, or working with other artists to spur new music. In recent years, he has produced an immense number of albums including Joanne Shaw Taylor, Marc Broussard, Larry McCray, Jimmy Hall, and others for his independent labels Journeyman Records and KTBA Records, and has also launched Journeyman LLC, a full-service artist management, record label, concert promotion, and marketing company that builds awareness for independent artists worldwide.
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My love for live music started with my first concert ever, Guns N’ Roses back in 2016. Since then, I’ve been able to capture photos of some amazing artists like Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Ace Frehley, and Post Malone. I am based in New York/New Jersey and go to school in Connecticut majoring in Journalism and I am always looking for the next concert to attend.
