A member of the talented group of thirty-something, Texas-based blues guitarists that includes Nick Curran, Johnny Moeller, and Mike Keller, Shawn Pittman enjoyed well-deserved acclaim from the late 1990s into the first half of the current decade. But following 2005's Stay, he disappeared into self-imposed exile, retiring from music to take an office job and engage in serious self-examination. After a silence broken only by four intense tracks on 2007's Texas Northside Kings project, Pittman resolved in mid-2008 to take another shot at music, playing a grueling circuit around Texas and beginning to record Meridian. Reflecting on dark places and new hope, Meridian's 11 new songs develop satisfying dramatic tension and make a compelling case for the continuing relevance of vintage blues styles. Thankfully, Pittman's newfound serenity hasn't blunted his edge: The harrowing "Edge of the World" unforgettably weds a bleak lyric to a twisted Howlin' Wolf stomp, and "Make the World Stop Turnin'," a Frankie Lee Sims-inspired boogie, outlines a desperate state of mind. "Fortune and Fame" contrasts its contented message with snarling guitars and a minor key progression. But where he once sang about run-ins with the Dallas City Police, Pittman now asserts "My Luck Has Changed," delivering an upbeat message about the fruits of hard work and a positive attitude over Elmore James's trademark riff. And the irresistible "Make People Dance" rolls a classic Chuck Berry travelogue over a chunky rhythm - talk about truth in advertising! Pittman displays his mastery of Texas and Gulf Coast shuffles on the fractured fairy tale "No Such of a Thing" and the Lazy Lester-ish meditation on tattletales, "Mr. Dime Dropper." The deep blues "High Maintenance Woman" sounds like Lightnin' Hopkins reincarnated, and "Hurricane," a ferocious, set-closing instrumental of cinematic sweep, recalls Ike Turner's frenzied workouts. A compelling singer and gifted songwriter, Pittman might also be the best trio guitarist in the business, especially in the spare style Jimmie Vaughan perfected with The Fabulous Thunderbirds. With a live sound anchored by ace drummer Jason Moeller, Meridian is a remarkable comeback. Lovers of no-nonsense blues can't afford to overlook Pittman's return.