The best track on Day Out In Nowhere, the new album by titanic rock throat Graham Bonnet is a glorious slice of sixties-styled baroque pop which goes by the name of Suzy. It reminds the listener of Bonnet’s vintage, sure – he’ll be seventy five just before Christmas this year – but it also underlines what a glorious versatility lies beneath the man’s trademark bullhorn roar.

Anyone who saw Bonnet on those recentish Michael Schenker shows where he shared the mic with some other legendary rock and metal names will tell you that they were blown away by the power and clarity of the man’s voice, and that will certainly be the case again when you get to grips with Day Out In Nowhere. Bonnet is also a fine, witty lyricist and, shorn of the the need to fit in with the expectation of fellow bandmembers that wit and pith – a well as a little pathos- comes to the surface often over the course of the album’s eleven songs.

If you really can’t stomach opulent Scott Walkerisms don’t despair- there’s an awful lot of blood n’thunder hard rock to enjoy here too, with songs like the title track and especially Jester ranking right up there with the best solo work Bonnet has brought to the table over the course of what is now a forty-five year career as a solo artist.

Star spotters will be interested to note that, alongside regular Bonnet six stringer Conrado Pesinato, guitarists Jeff Loomis and Roy Z contribute their talents, whilst Rainbow fans will doubtless be wringing their hands with joy at the news that Don Airey, who teamed up with our hero on that band’s career-changing Down To Earth album, pops up here as well.

But at the end of the day this is all about the Singer, and on seriously impressive material like Imposter and Uncle John Graham Bonnet reminds the world just what a good one he is. If you’re a fan of listening to people who are very good at what they do doing that thing very well, then this album needs to be at the top of your shopping list.

Day Out In Nowhere releases on May 13th.