Omar and the Howlers, 10 pm Fri, J & J Blues Bar, 937 Woodward St. $10. 817-870-BEER

It's been roughly 25 years since Kent "Omar" Dykes moved from Mississippi to Austin and became one of the Lone Star State's favorite adoptees. Melding their swamp-rock roots with the vibrant Austin blues scene of the day, Omar and the Howlers eventually became local favorites as well as international musical ambassadors, spreading Omar's sweaty gospel of blues to far-flung regions. With the release of 1987's Hard Times in the Land of Plenty on Columbia Records, the band found the radio airplay to back them up and laid the foundation for the onslaught of blues to follow.

Feverishly churning out an album a year from 1990 to 1996 did nothing to hurt the band's standing; each disc builds upon the Howlers' rootsy, bluesy rock foundation and furthers Omar's raw appeal among an ever-expanding fan base. For his latest disc, Big Delta, Omar set out to create a retrospective of his favorite songs. The collection of tracks is what he calls "a nod to my favorites," and it offers a combination of songs from his catalog and old Omar favorites that evolved with the band's "jam of the moment." Like its predecessors, the album is down-and-dirty blues, delivered with the no-holds-barred attack for which he has become famous. It is still, however, unable to touch the belly-busting gusto of his live shows -- as anyone who has seen his performances can attest to. Omar and the Howlers' roadhouse blues fuel a relentless musical attack that simply can't be captured anywhere but in person.