Often comparisons of well-aged wine are made of artists who’ve persevered the many hazards and rewards of being good at their craft.

Bonnie Raitt is no bottle of wine. She’s the bottle of old bourbon, mellowed with age, flowing down, full of flavor. Then, the power astounds you.

The punch and the funk are still there but with such pleasure.

Raitt recorded Silver Lining with her touring band and captured the intimacy of a honky-tonk or a country dance hall with the excitement and the ease of a mellow whiskey.

Her sixteenth album draws from her experiences studying sociology at Harvard and dropping into the music scene opening for the likes of John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters – a wide-eyed world view tempered by river delta rhythm and blues.

Her direct style has garnered many Grammys over three decades, and it just gets better.

The title song is blues by Bonnie. It’s hope – internal, innocent, magic. Born with our eyes wide open and seeing the “Silver Lining” in a rough world.

The disc picks up a little funk on “Time of Our Lives,” mellow but with a bite.

“Gnawin’ On It” is rock ‘n’ roll. Snare drum, wailing guitar and a rough edginess. Raitt and Roy Rogers’ slide guitars bring the honky-tonk home. “Monkey Business” is just plain funky business – Moog, slap bass and some sloppy snare. Smooth.

Her growing fascination with African music brings a fresh, lively and crisp chord to “Hear, Me Lord.” It and “Back Around” have a world beat punch but both are tempered and shaped by Bonnie’s river delta blues. Calabash, balfanon and talking drum meet slide guitar.

The delta drives on with “No Getting’ Over You.” Piano riffs and more slide guitar are sure to get your toe to tappin’.

It’s a sippin’ whiskey that you often want to take a gulp of and breathe deep as it takes your breath away.