Review By Glen Parkes
Joe Bonamassa doesn’t coast—he accelerates. And with his latest single, “Drive By The Exit Sign,” the legendary blues-rocker slams the pedal to the metal. Fueled by swampy slide guitar, breakneck energy, and the emotional intensity of a man chasing down his past in the rearview mirror, the track offers a gritty, Southern-soaked glimpse into Bonamassa’s upcoming album, Breakthrough—due July 18th via J&R Adventures
Produced by the ever-consistent Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, The Black Crowes, Journey), the track taps into a side of Bonamassa that’s always lurked beneath the surface: the high-octane rocker. While he’s spent the better part of two decades refining his craft with virtuosity and vintage soul, “Drive By The Exit Sign” feels like a loose, live-wire detour, full of bark and bite. Bonamassa’s vocals match the grit. There’s a ragged defiance in his delivery, like a man trying to outrun both a heartbreak and a hangover. His phrasing is bluesy but urgent, capturing the core sentiment of the song—the emotional wreckage left behind when love crashes and burns.
Don’t be fooled by the upbeat tempo—“Drive By The Exit Sign” may sound like a party, but it’s pure pain in motion. Lyrically, the song reads like a cross-country breakup letter. Bonamassa weaves in metaphors of highways and missed turns, painting the picture of a man emotionally stranded at a crossroads with no GPS and no one riding shotgun. With “Drive By The Exit Sign,” Joe Bonamassa proves once again why he remains at the top of the modern blues-rock food chain. It’s not just the guitar heroics—though there’s plenty of that—it’s the way he continues to evolve, push boundaries, and deliver music that feels authentic, lived-in, and ready to hit the highway.
If Breakthrough lives up to the promise of “Drive By The Exit Sign,” we could be looking at one of the most diverse, fearless albums of Bonamassa’s storied career.
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