Some 40 years after he first signed on with Alligator, Lil’ Ed Williams and his Blues Imperials are back, reminding everyone of this Chicago blues legend. Whether lamenting ladies that left, or catching the eye of the car wash flirt, Williams’ brand of blues remains as playfully potent as ever. That may be the trick: bemoaning, but with a wink and smile. Lil’ Ed is a master of that magic.

These thirteen tracks- with plenty of jumps and shuffles- are each tattooed with Williams’ signature slide guitar work. Backing him, his quartet rides along in perfect stride, decorating these colorful, cautionary tales with resilient muscle. Williams’ vocal is as unpolished as ever, warbling with emotive joy or remorse, depending. Older, wiser? Maybe. Though, always excitable and expressive.

Produced by Williams and Alligator founder and chief, Bruce Iglauer, it is a set without any precious, self-conscious affectations. It’s just the blues, straight in line with a legacy that traces back to Elmore James, the original king of the slide guitar. As such, the album not so much updates the art form as it does stoke its eternal flames.

When Alligator was peaking in the 1980s, it was where most any blues artist wanted to be. Four decades later, it is still the premier recording label for the genre in the world. This latest from Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials is yet another reason why.

Funky, bold, and real, it’s another worthy sizzler from Lil’ Ed and his majestic mates.