Jonny Lang surprised the music world when he released his phenomenal debut, "Lie To Me," a collection of revved-up traditional blues tunes. On his second release, due in stores Tuesday, the guitarist/singer expands his palette to include R&B and touches of hard rock.

From the blazing guitar riffs of "Still Rainin'," Lang solidifies his identity as a musician capable of translating intense fury, loneliness, and tenderness into song. "Second Guessing" reveals a lighter, more soulful side, and "Before You Hit the Ground" is sheer joyous funk.

Lang's evocative growl has matured, shining on the sexy "The Levee" and broiling with desperation on "Cherry Red Wine," where he sings the devil out of a lover chained to the bottle. His croon on the melancholy title track evokes the ephemeral nature of its narrator: "A shadow that drifts on the side of the road/It's like I'm not even there."

The feelings on "Wander" run deep, suggesting perhaps that it is teens, after all, who are meant to play the blues. At 17, Lang seems plugged into these densely emotional tunes with a passion that would make any wizened bluesman proud.

-- Beth Winegarner

This article was originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle.