Sonny Sharrock: Ask the Ages (Axiom/Island)

GUITARIST SONNY Sharrock is best known (or at least most revered) for his work's skronk-fusionist qualities. His massively searing string-attack has been legendary in noise-fan circles for over two decades. Unfortunately, his last few tours and records have been rather hammy and stupid. It almost seemed as if Sharrock had fallen into the same "maybe I could be the next George Benson" thinking that apparently snared James "Blood" Ulmer a while back. Thankfully, Ask the Ages breaks Sharrock's string of duds with a big fuckin' ax.