Debbie Bonham - Duchess

Jul 1 2008 By Jack Daniels

(Rhino)

DEBORAH Bonham first got the idea of being a rock star when she watched her brother John drum up a storm with Led Zeppelin, and this is her third album since his tragic death.

She’s a fine blues-rock singer, as the likes of Pretty Thing and Duchess And The Shufflemeister show, and she can do tender, too, as in ballad Love You So.

But, and here’s the rub, the studio set doesn’t do justice to her blistering live performance, despite guest spots by Paul Rodgers, BJ Cole, Dave Pegg and nephew Jason Bonham.

Highpoint of the album is life-affirming anthem Hold On – but she really is better than this.