Delbert McClinton has been making albums that flirt with excellence for a full 20 years; now, he’s no longer just flirting. Recorded at Muscle Shoals with a punchy production by Barry Beckett and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, The Jealous Kind melds wonderfully bluesy horn arrangements, well-honed guitar solos, heartfelt vocals, and, last but not least, McClinton’s best program to date. Among the biggest treats on this soulful label debut: strong, earthy readings of Bobby Charles’s title cut and “I Can’t Quit You”; a bouncy, honky-tonk rendition of Van Morrison’s “Bright Side of the Road”; and a steamy cover of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River.”

The album is available here.