Chris Duarte emerged in the early '90s as a hotshot guitar slinger in the vein of Stevie Ray Vaughan. He's never shaken that reputation in the subsequent decades, nor has he attempted to lose it: he's a purveyor of lively blues-rock steeped in the Texas tradition. Ain't Giving Up falls squarely in that category -- there are times when Duarte's Strat sounds gargantuan, as on the opening fanfare to the SRV-inspired instrumental "Can Opener" -- but where his albums have sometimes seemed like extended excuses to jam, this 2023 set keeps the focus on songs and boogie. The concision and precision, when combined with heavier rhythms and distorted vocals, make Ain't Giving Up sound like a rocking roadhouse, tunes that keep a beer joint hopping from happy hour to last call. It's not only a welcome variation on Duarte's Lone Star blues, it might be the most fun he's ever had on record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine