Chris Rea’s legacy all depends on your nationality. For Americans, he is the husky balladeer behind “Fool (If You Think It’s Over)”, a late-’70s hit that labeled him soft rock. For us Brits, however, Rea is a revered slide guitarist and introspective songwriter. Starting in the mid-’80s, a few years after his brush with fame in the United States, Rea scored a string of hits featuring bluesy pop-rock that slides between Eric Clapton’s relaxed shuffle and Dire Straits’ gritty twang. After nearly succumbing to cancer in the ’00s, Rea staged an unlikely comeback with a new style focusing heavily on pure electric blues.