Colin James made a name for himself playing blistering blues-rock.

Now, 12 years since his self-titled debut solo album, James has returned to his roots with his latest release, Fuse.

Recorded this summer in Burnaby, B.C. and at his home studio in Vancouver, Fuse weaves James' accomplished guitar slinging and smooth pop vocals with collaborator Craig Northey's pop sensibilities and a dash of Macy Gray inspiration.

"I was really ready to do something with a bit more of a kick to it," says James during a visit to the Sun offices.

"It came really naturally. The thing that strikes me about the album is how it was done in such a great atmosphere. It was a lot of fun to record."

Northey, former Odds guitarist and singer, co-wrote all 12 tracks as well as co-producing the album with Joe Hardy and James.

"I had no idea we would have so much in common musically," says James, who will start touring the album in the new year.

"I always thought of the Odds as more British pop influenced. But he is such a soul and R&B freak, so we saw eye to eye.

"We got along well and it was really relaxed, which is half the battle of writing a good song."

After the success of his debut and its 1990 followup, Sudden Stop, James took a three-year hiatus to chill out, get married, buy a house and ponder his next move.

"It was a time to cool out, I think," he recalls. "But musically speaking, it was a direct reaction to (his impression) that blues-rock had hit a wall.

"All my contemporaries were falling off the map -- the (Fabulous Thunderbirds) were breaking up, Robert Cray wasn't commandeering the same kind of press he used to and Stevie (Ray Vaughan) was dead -- it was really hard to know which way to go."

In 1993, James returned with the critically acclaimed jump blues album, Colin James and the Little Big Band.

It was a genre with which he would later find success with 1998's Little Big Band II, which came out in the throes of the swing resurgence.

"The timing with the Little Big Band thing was good," he says, "but I almost enjoyed it more when we made the first Little Big Band record because people were just looking at me like I was out of my mind."

Though it remains to be seen whether or not Fuse will light anyone's fire, James is just happy he is still making music.

"I have a lot to be thankful for and I guess you can't forget that."