J-Man Return of the Worm is the fifth album from seasoned instrumental guitar virtuoso Todd Grubbs, and it also served as my introduction to this American musician. Rather than succumbing to the typical shred-guitarist mold that puts technical abilities above actual songwriting, Return of the Worm contains quality compositions through and through as well as some highly impressive musicianship. Todd Grubbs is an extremely gifted musician, and even though annoying samples and a lack of killer tunes get in the way of my enjoyment, this is a very fun album that instrumental rock fans should get a kick out of.

The music here is a mix of hard rock, jazz fusion, and funk, obviously focused around Todd Grubbs's terrific lead guitar playing. The man is simply an expert at his instrument, and it's a safe bet to say that he's one of the best rock guitarists on the scene right now. His ability not only as a shredder, but also as a tasteful fusion player makes his style on Return of the Worm highly impressive. The songwriting, despite encompassing a wide variety of genres, feels a bit too one-dimensional for my taste. It's still undoubtedly well-written, but the frequent sampled portions detract from my enjoyment at times and I also think a few of the songs lack a whole lot in the way of memorability.

Although Return of the Worm may not be the most memorable instrumental guitar rock album out there, it's a very dependable release from one of the most gifted musicians in the scene. This is a strongly recommended purchase for fans of guitar-rock albums, and as such deserves 3 stars. Return of the Worm won't set the world on fire with its stunning songwriting or original approach, but it's an enjoyable listen for sure.