by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

On Handful of Blues, Robben Ford strips his sound back to the basics, recording a set of blues with only a bassist and a drummer. The group runs through a handful of standards, including "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and "I Just Want to Make Love to You," and a number of made-to-order originals. Throughout the album the musicians play well, but Ford's voice is never commanding. However, this is a minor flaw, since his guitar speaks for itself.