Peter Green Splinter Group

by Thom OwensPeter Green tentatively returned to performing and recording in 1996, and The Peter Green Splinter Group is the first fruits of that comeback. The very fact that Green is performing again is encouraging, but the album sadly falls short of high expectations. A collection of blues covers, the record is filled with standards like "Going Down" and "Dark End of the Street," delivered professionally and without much flair. Green himself plays competently, but there are only a handful of times where his playing is unexpected and inspired. That might seem like a disappointment, but it's reassuring to have any flashes of brilliance, and they suggest that he could record a full-fledged return to form if given some time.