RUFF

There’s something about a woman rocker who isn’t afraid to let the guitar riffs rip that does it for me. Masterfully arranged riffs and pounding percussion are sure signs that the artist isn’t a wanna-be-pretty-pop-princess-entertainer but someone who reveres her art. Add sound narrative lyrics delivered in a throbbing, soulful voice – think of Bonnie Raitt or the Detroit Cobras’ Rachel Nagy – and you understand why the just released Love To Beg by Dana Fuchs should be a must buy. From the powerful title track to the slower but no less powerful “Set It On Fire” and beyond, Fuchs and her long-time collaborator Jon Diamond present 13 Harry Winston jewelry-quality songs – sparkling and lovingly crafted. She may not be Patti Smith, but Dana Fuchs’ music would likely do the queen of punk proud.