Oh Yeah.

I met Garrett Dutton — “G. Love” of G. Love & Special Sauce — at a concert at Trax in 1994, or thereabouts, after he’d released his first, eponymously-titled album. I disliked him immediately. He was brash, strutting, proud beyond all reason; in short, everything a rock star should be. But I loved his music, as I do to this day. I’ve never heard anything like it — hip-hop blues seems to be a one-artist genre. (Those older than their mid-20s may recall their hit single, “Baby Got Sauce.”) He’s released a half dozen albums since, none of them particularly interesting, all of them trying to recapture what made the the debut album so great. I’ve half-heartedly acquired a few of them, but I never listen to them.

G. Love has (re)released his first solo album, entitled “Oh Yeah,” which consists of the ten tracks that he recorded at home and sold on cassette on the streets of Boston in 1992. (To my knowledge, it’s available only via the iTunes Music Store.) Each song is stripped-down, Dutton simply playing guitar and singing. It’s brilliant in its comparative simplicity. Admittedly, I’ve only bought the three tracks that made it onto G. Love & Special Sauce: “Shootin’ Hooops,” “Rhyme for Summertime” and “Sause.” Hearing something so familiar rendered so differently is always fun — which is the genius of Coverville — but it’s the differences that make this album great.

There’s something almost lascivious about the songs on G. Love & Special Sauce, even in songs about basketball (“Shootin’ Hoops”) and the joys of summer (“Rhyme for the Summertime”). It’s the combination of Dutton’s delivery and the instrumentation, I think. That confident sexual energy is a defining element of the band’s style. And it’s that style that’s utterly lacking in “Oh Yeah,” to great effect. “Rhyme for Summertime” centers on Dutton riding his bicycle, of all things. “Shootin Hooops” is about playing basketball after school “Sause” isn’t dirty but, instead, sweet and earnest. Since all of this was recorded by a regular (though talented) guy, it’s a glimpse into Dutton’s pre-fame psyche, and I like what I see.

I’m not sure that folks who aren’t already fans of G. Love & Special Sauce would be particularly interested in “Oh Yeah,” though I’d be curious to hear reactions. Here’s hoping that Dutton launches a solo tour. I’ll pay to see that. And if I meet him again, maybe I’ll like him a little more, now that I know he’s a bike-riding softie.