*** Chris Thomas, “Cry of the Prophets,” Sire/Hightone:<i> Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to five (a classic).</i>

On his major-label debut, the son of minor-league blues man Tabby Thomas concocts a strange brew of deep soul, country blues, modern funk, Hendrix and Marley that falls somewhere between a more rockin’ Robert Cray and a Lenny Kravitz without the Lennonisms. Despite a pro forma approach to songwriting and a somewhat limited vocal palette, young Thomas gets by on the depth of his emotional expression and a stinging, rootsy guitar style. An audience for this amalgam awaits.