There’s something about the blues that gives the genre real staying power. In addition to being a strong influence in the formation of rock and even some jazz, the blues persists well into the 21^st century, more or less unaltered. I use that term in connection with the album we have this week. It’s by the Altered Five Blues Band, and they are out with their new seventh album called Hammer & Chisel.

The history of the blues involves the narrative of African American performers from the South, traveling to the industrial cities of the north, especially Chicago, taking root, and in the process going from acoustic to electric. And Chicago, to this day, has a rich blues scene. But the Altered Five Blues Band come from another Midwest city with an industrial history, Milwaukee.

The group, originally known just as Altered Five, formed in 2002, and their early albums, soon attracted accolades, though their first release consisted entirely of cover material. The group has been moved toward writing their own music, and their new album features all original songs. Altered Five’s sound is classic, with mostly a guitar-led instrumental backup, but the group also includes a prominent keyboard player.

As in decades past with many other bluesmen, the members of The Altered Five blues band hold down regular jobs, and play the blues when they can. For example, the group’s charismatic, big-voiced and physically stout lead vocalist, Jeff Taylor works as a school principle in Wisconsin. Guitarist Jeff Schrodel is executive vice president of Hal Leonard Music publishing, and is on the board of the Music Publishers Association of America. Other members of the bi-racial band are keyboard man Steve Heubler, bassist Mark Solveson and drummer Alan Arber. Over the nearly 23 years they have been playing together, they have developed into a tight but energetic band, with Taylor’s powerful vocals leading the way.

Interestingly, perhaps owing to the white-collar backgrounds of the band members, most of the songs are not about typical blues topics. In fact there are no songs about infidelity or the adultery that has driven so many blues songs in the past. Altered Five actually celebrates faithful relationships in two of the songs, others contain words of encouragement, and a couple address the state of the world, less with cynicism but with hope that things will get better.

Opening is an energetic blues track with lyrics that are just about the opposite of a the stereotypical blues song, it’s called I Got It Good and they lyrics celebrate good fortune. The musical backing recalls Memphis soul with the horns. <<>>

Dare Me to Do It takes a kind of down in the swamp musical direction, while the lyrics essentially say “I’ll do anything for you.” <<>> Guest harmonica player Jason Ricci puts in a great solo. <<>>

One of the tunes with social commentary is the self-explanatory Who Can You Trust, while the band goes kind of classic Chicago electric. <<>>

A good blues album would not be complete without a slow blues, and Altered Five serves up an excellent example with the track Lotta Love Left in Me, in which the protagonist is searching, without bitterness, for a new love. <<>>

The title track Hammer & Chisel is a rocking declaration of independence or non-conformity. <>>

I think one of the most memorable tracks on the album lyrically, is I Can’t Shake It, which could be about PTSD, how a traumatic event in one’s life stays with you. <<>>

Another song about the state of the world is Headline Blues about the stress the daily news can cause, with a kind of swamp-rock style musical setting. <<>>

The only song that’s really about a less-than-perfect romantic relationship is Crazy One which goes on about the peeves about one’s significant other, and calling for a time-out. <<>>

The album ends with another of its highlights, The Will of Man, which takes a kind of Gospel direction, looking for the day when things get better. <<>>

Hammer & Chisel the new seventh album by the long-running Milwaukee group The Altered Five Blues Band, is I think, the group’s best. It’s a winning combination of intelligent original songs, that avoid many of the blues lyrical stereotypes, with Jeff Taylor’s big-man vocals and the tight band, who deftly play the different styles of the blues represented on the album. They do it with a lot of class.

Our grade for audio quality is a B, for the typical excessive volume compression to try to keep things constantly loud and there is a bit too much reverb on the vocals at times.

If you like the blues, there are plenty of options out there with albums from both venerable performers and up-and-coming ones. The Altered Five Blues Band, having been around for 23 years is sort of in the middle as far as generations of bluesmen go. But their music underscores the timelessness of the blues, with an impressive recording that has all the right ingredients.