Bonnie Raitt's back with 'Slipstream'

When it comes to eloquently and elegantly singing about heartache, it's hard to beat Bonnie Raitt.

Maybe that's why today's darlings Adele and Bon Iver have recently turned to Raitt's music and why the timing for "Slipstream" (Redwing), her first new album in seven years, couldn't be better. She's been through a great deal of pain since her last album -- the separate deaths of her parents, her brother and her best friend -- and "Slipstream" shows how she has processed it.

There's an aggressive bluesiness to the opener, "Used to Rule the World," built around the grittier end of her voice and the groovier end of her guitar playing as she declares, "You're mystified standing with the rest of us who used to rule the world." Her reggae-tinged twist on Gerry Rafferty's "Right Down the Line" is another pleasant surprise, as is the feisty version of Bob Dylan's "Million Miles."

However, it's Raitt's tender side that really shines here. She sounds heartbroken on Joe Henry's "You Can't Fail Me Now," while her take on Dylan's "Standing in the Doorway" sounds both defiant and defeated as she sings, "Don't know if I saw you if I would kiss you or kill you."

"Slipstream" is Raitt's strongest work since the one-two punch of "Nick of Time" and "Luck of the Draw" more than 20 years ago -- the last time she powered her way back into the spotlight after a lengthy absence. She deserves another hearty welcome back.