Leslie West? Wasn't that the husky, guitar-playing, lyric-shouting, maniac from the Woodstock-era rock power trio called Mountain? You bet. And 30 years later West is back, sans those dainty white gloves he use to wear on stage while playing guitar and barking out the likes of " Mississippi Queen" and "Never In My Life." From the look of his new CD, West also appears to have shed more than 100 pounds. But never fear, this lean, mean version is still rocking and also developed a taste for the blues if this offering is any indication.

On "As Phat As It Gets," West zips through a dozen rock-tinged numbers, several of them blues chestnuts like "Stormy Monday" and Otis Redding's "Respect" (which West performed pre-Mountain in a New York City bar band called The Vagrants. Of his half-dozen originals, standouts include "I Can't Shak," "Allergic" and "Raw Nerve" a track with a nice boogie feel to it.

He even slips in his own version of The Champs' 1958 instrumental classic "Tequila." West is joined by a number of guest musicians on this effort, including some members of George Thorogood?s Destroyers and British bluesman Kim Simmonds. Make no mistake though, this is West's show, front- loaded with rough-hewn vocals and scorching guitar. It's nice to know that, like another Woodstock I survivor, Carlos Santana, West still has some fire in his belly. -- Mike Martindale, bluesonstage.com