It’s easy to miss the method behind Claude Hay’s music the first time through—after all, his funky, slide-guitar driven blues rock would be right at home on Beck’s Odelay.

What makes Hay remarkable is that he is able to produce an arrangement that mimics an entire band entirely on his own (apart from the occasional vocal overdub). While such an approach might result in some overly sparse songs, he manages to minimize the simplicity by exploring a multitude of different sounds over Deep Fried Satisfied.

Both the title and opening track “Get Me Some” sing the praises of all things breaded and fatty, a testament to Hay’s own obsession with fried food. Both these and “How Can You Live With Yourself” wear Beck’s influence on their sleeve, chock full of slide-guitars and semi-falsetto, a perfect antidote for anyone reminiscing over “Where It’s At”.

The singer also manages to bring soulful choruses into his music—his cover of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” is split between the energetic slide-funk that defines the first half of the album, and a sparse and haunting vocal arrangement on top of a lone guitar. On the closing “Miss You So”, he takes this minimal approach even further, creating a drum-and-chorus with no hint of guitar until the sitar-like solo that closes the album.

There are occasional moments when the simplicity of the music becomes strikingly apparent, and these can occasionally pull the listener out of the experience—but such instances are few and far between. If one is willing to make allowances for Claude Hay’s fast-food stand subject matter, the spirit and virtuosity behind Deep Fried Satisfied can convert even the most-hard hearted of vegetarians.

Conclusion—finger-licking fun.