Editorial Review

Just as Muhammad Ali once boasted that he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee," Louisiana's Sonny Landreth can make his slide guitar roar like a rocket ship and dance like a ballerina. As this live set recorded on his home turf attests, few guitarists combine such power with such precision. Landreth’s veteran rhythm section of bassist David Ranson and drummer Kenneth Blevins provides whipcrack support on a set of supercharged instrumentals ("Native Stepson," "Z. Rider," "Pedal to Metal") and original blues ("Broken-Hearted Road," "Wind in Denver"), building to a climax with the guitarist’s signature tune, "Congo Square." Though Landreth established himself as an ace sideman from his apprenticeship with zydeco kingpin Clifton Chenier through his extended stint with John Hiatt, he really cuts loose with his own trio, generating a dynamic propulsion that threatens to levitate this Lafayette dancehall. Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (38)

Simply phenominal
I had the tremendous pleasure of hearing Sonny live and was immediately drawn into the experience. Talented is too small a word to describe this group.GRANT STREET is just about the best compilation of tunes I've heard...ripping,magical and just thoroughly great!You will not be disappointed. A must for every ones collection.I listen to the whole disc and am always ready to go at it again.

As HOT is it gets
As much as I truly love the slide mastery of Johnny Winter, Ry Cooder, Roy Rogers, Eric Sardinas, Luther Allison and Robert Johnson, Sonny is the man.As much as each of the above masters offer their own unique style and brilliance, each worthy of multiple listenings and close study, Sonny is the man. And though it is not a competition, I dare say Sonny is, hands down, the best I've ever heard.Grant Street is as HOT as it gets, period.His searing tones, rich dynamic textures, composition and vocals (all original) are a testimony to one of the most remarkable live albums ever made.
Buy Grant Street!
One of the best things about blues or blue rock is the simplicity of it.Since there are specific and defined rules in the 12 bar blues system, we as consumers have been subjected to almost every kind imaginable.I myself, never get tired of endless blues guitar heroes like SRV, Johnny Winter, Eric Clapton, BB King, Albert King and every other professional or local artist that emulates their heroes and create blues rock.
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Subjects:  1. Contemporary Blues    2. Louisiana Blues    3. Modern Electric Blues    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. Southern Rock    8. Swamp Blues   

Editorial Review

This legendary 1983 debut by the fallen torchbearer of the '80s-'90s blues revival sounds even more dramatic in its remixed and expanded edition. Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar and vocals are a bit brighter and more present on this 14-track CD. And the newly included bonus numbers (an incendiary studio version of the slow blues "Tin Pan Alley" that was left off the original release, and live takes of "Testify," "Mary Had a Little Lamb," and the instrumental "Wham!" from a 1983 Hollywood concert) illuminate the raw soul and passion that propelled his artistry even when he was under the spell of drug addiction. Read more

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (84)

Modern Day Blues Classic
This is one of the finest blues albums to be produced in the past 25 years.Right off the bat from the blistering 'Testify' to the classic 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' to the closing jazz influenced 'Lenny' you know this album is going to be something special.SRV & TD are found here as a trio and you would be hard pressed to find a tighter band.This album is a little more striped down and more bluesy then SRV latter works.This and 'In Sessions' with Albert King are probably Stevie's best blues albums.

king of strat
saw hendrix,have seen clapton-stevie was the best i ever saw-saw him every tuesday night for 2 years as a member of paul ray and the cobras-tequila night at soap creek saloon as he was mastering his craft and nose diving his body-last time i saw him was new years eve at the ritz in nyc the year he would die way too early.he was then clean and as good as ever. texas flood may be his best-raw and overwhelming-anybody looking for a blues guitar master-look no further.by the way,stevie could play a little hendrix himself

Stevie Ray Vaughan = Awesome. Argue not.
Okay, Texas Flood and Pride and Joy are, plain and simple, two of the greatest blues songs ever. His solo on Texas Flood shows just what a guy with enough talent could do with the simple Blues format, as does Pride and Joy. Two amazing songs...
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Blues-Rock    3. Contemporary Blues    4. Electric Blues    5. Electric Texas Blues    6. Modern Electric Blues    7. Modern Electric Texas Blues    8. Pop    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop    11. Texas Blues    12. United States of America   

Editorial Review

This 1965 album is where vocalist and harmonica player Junior Wells comes into his own. An early collaboration with Buddy Guy, the two of them sum up the 1960s funk-rock-blues that lay ahead. Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Chicago Blues    4. Electric Chicago Blues    5. Electric Harmonica Blues    6. Harmonica Blues    7. Juke Joint Blues    8. Pop   

Editorial Review

It's not hard to understand the appeal of Kenny Wayne Shepherd, currently being hailed as the heir to Stevie Ray Vaughan. He's young (an increasing rarity in blues and blues-related genres), he writes catchy songs, and his "Blue on Black" is widely played on rock radio. Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues-Rock    2. Contemporary Blues    3. Modern Electric Blues    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

This guest-studded CD relaunched Buddy Guy's career and set him toward the pinnacle of contemporary blues. Despite turns from Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, and others, it's Guy who burns brightest--and loudest. He delivers roaring, exuberant performances of classic R&B ("Mustang Sally"), old-time blues ("Black Night"), and house rockers ("Where Is the Next One Coming From"). Most poignant, though, is his seven-minute instrumental "Rememberin' Stevie," which not only rekindles the fiery spirit of his own youth, but pays sensitive tribute to his late friend and admirer Stevie Ray Vaughan. This is the blueprint for Guy's current performing style. Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Chicago Blues    3. Electric Blues    4. Electric Chicago Blues    5. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    6. Pop   

Editorial Review

Recorded for a television program of the same name back in 1983, Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (109)

A Classic...
This is a classic jam performance by two masters of the Blues.
Albert King In Session
I heard the song, "Don't Lie To Me" on a local blues station one night and was blown away.I don't typically write reviews, but this album is superb.I will boldly state that I think Albert King is better than B.B. King, and I am not alone in this belief.Stevie Ray Vaughn and Albert King create magic on this album.I enjoy Albert's playing so much that I typically skip past the SRV song (second song on the album) and continue on with Albert.Do NOT miss out on the enjoyment this album will give you.The sound quality is absolutely top notch, and the songs are great.Buy it and enjoy!

Mutual Admiration Society
It is clear that these 2 men liked each other and enjoyed trading solos. However,it is alsomuch more of an Albert King showcase, with standout performances of Ask Me No Questions, Don't Lie To Me , and Stormy Monday. What I like most about it is that it sounds so much better (i.e. dynamic and modern) than most of the old Albert King albums. This album really captures thehigh energy and power of a remarkable singer and guitarist(Albert King), and you canhear the musical roots of where Steve Ray's sound came from. It was misleading to list 11 cuts on the album , since 4 are simply fragments of conversation between the 2 guitar heroes. However the songs are lenghty, for example, Blues At Sunrise runs over 15 minutes,andthose conversations add to the overall feel of a live concert , even though it is a studio recording., Theonce in a lifetime combination of these 2 icons on the same album make this a real collector's item for blues fans ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Blues Music    3. Modern Electric Blues    4. Pop    5. Soul-Blues    6. Urban Blues   

Editorial Review

The real deal is that this is not so much a hits package as a hyped collection of songs that made the charts, album tracks, and rarities like Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Pipeline" duet with surf-rock king Dick Dale. (At least SRV completists no longer have to buy the God-awful Read more

Reviews (59)

Best introductory SRV
If you are new to SRV and looking for a great sample of his best work, this is the album for you.Selections are among the most intense blues ever to burn from SRV's guitar. The recording quality is top notch - including the live cuts.

Blues Done Right
Stevie Ray Vaughan was getting better by the year,never playing the same song quite the same way twice.He was the best of his kind.King of texas blues.Mr.Vaughan came to a tragic ending in a plane crash after fighting a life threatning drug addiction.Such an abrupt end for such an amazing person.
Not as good as Volume 1, but very solid
What you have here is Volume 2 of the Best of Stevie Ray Vaughn.
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Blues-Rock    3. Electric Texas Blues    4. Modern Electric Blues    5. Modern Electric Texas Blues    6. Pop    7. Popular Music    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop    10. Texas Blues   

Editorial Review

Ry Cooder might have been tempted to bill this as the Chavez Ravine Social Club. After generating such popular and critical interest in Cuban music of decades past with the Buena Vista Social Club, Cooder applied a similar approach closer to home, extending his fascination with the Mexican-American culture that flourished in 1940s and '50s Los Angeles. The result is an CD that sounds like it's aspiring to be something far more ambitious: a DVD, a theatrical production, even a time machine. Cooder and a cast of seminal Chicano artists present a song cycle that conjures an era of UFOs, the Red Scare, and political machinations that leveled the Chavez Ravine barrio to lure the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles. In his celebration of a vibrant community that doesn't know it's on the verge of displacement, Cooder enlists Thee Midnighters vocalist Little Willie G. (whose songwriting collaboration with Los Lobos's David Hidalgo on "Onda Callejara" highlights the album). and Pachuco patriarchs Don Tosti and Lalo Guerrero, with the latter reviving his dancefloor favorite "Los Chucos Suaves." The accordion of Flaco Jimenez adds conjunto flavor to "Barrio Viejo." Throughout the album, Cooder plays a typically tasteful, understatedly virtuosic guitar, assumes a variety of vocal roles--including a cool Chet Baker homage in duet with pianist Jacky Terrason on "In My Town"--and provides the provocative social context. Read more

Reviews (35)

Grammy winner, bar none
Ry cooder has hit the mark with his latest addition. The story begins with Palo Verde, Chavez Ravine and a Mexican American village fated to be torn down by the developers planning on a windfall profit from the construction of Dodger's stadium. The man ( J Edgar Hoover and Joe McCarthy ) are the villians who confront the Guardians of the people, branding them communists so they can clear the land of "squatters".
Beyond Sublime
There's really not much one can say in a new review that hasn't already been written here, and in many cases far more eloquently than I would have managed. But this is why we do this, after all, to share an experience like "Chavez Ravine".
Poignant
I knew next to nothing about Chavez Ravine and what happened there.I didn't read the extensive liner notes for a bit after I started listening to the CD. (Sorry, my bad.)I knew there was a theme, a story, to the album.Even though I don't understand Spanish, it was there. (Some of the cuts are in English, some are in Spanish--the comprehensive liner booklet provides lyrics and translations in both languages.)But, bottom line, that all just provides depth and background to a grooving, poignant musical experience.I love this CD.I love listening to the sounds, the beats, the music. This is my latest favorite album, the one I keep playing in the car."Third base, Dodger Stadium," "Poor Man's Shangri-La," "Los Chucos Suaves"--try not to sing along, try not to move.Not possible.
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Americana    3. Guitar Virtuoso    4. Latin Jazz    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

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Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (58)

SRV Is The Man
SRV has to be on the short list of greatest guitarists ever. He is amazing. This album is one of his best, it is just awesome. This man could play and this album really shows off his skills. Great album.

Healing with passion
Mr. Vaughn's recovery from addiction comes through loud and clear while he loses none of the passion and style that made him so popular to begin with. Every song is like a self-portrait of an man who has finally found the way to real success. The songs are upbeat and make you want to dance with the newfound joy of the artist.Some of the best that SRV has to offer.

SRV - In Step
I just wanted to add some info for anyone who's considering buying this but is not completely sure:
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Blues-Rock    3. Contemporary Blues    4. Electric Blues    5. Electric Texas Blues    6. Modern Electric Blues    7. Modern Electric Texas Blues    8. Pop    9. Popular Music    10. Rock    11. Rock/Pop    12. Texas Blues   

Editorial Review

The blues master's 80th birthday gift to his fans is his third all-star collaboration. Its dozen tunes are a mix of classics and obscurities from King's past. They include commendable versions of his signature "The Thrill Is Gone," with Eric Clapton trading vocal lines and licks, and Howard Tate's "Ain't Nobody Home," with Daryl Hall answering King's gritty growl. There are obscurities, too, like "Tired of Your Jive," with a jocular Billy Gibbons, and "Hummingbird," transformed into a melodic gem with the assistance of John Mayer.Read more

Reviews (20)

B.B. Doesn't Need Help Like This
B.B King may be one of the best bluesmen alive but a collaboration album like this is not his forte'. This formula was put to much better use some years ago by John Lee Hooker with two very good albums ("The Healer" & "Mr. Lucky")with a MUCH better selection of guests.
The best
Listen to it constantly.Went to his birthday concert.At 80 he is still rockin!

In great voice... and a few songs really hit the spot.
B.B . King can pretty much do whatever he wants at this point; he really has nothing left to prove. The fact that this CD can still reach for some higher level with the obligatory guest star packaging is a feat in itself. While I feel some of the choices here lack inspiration, (Clapton or not, do we need another version of "The Thrill is Gone?")there are a few cuts that stand out and they are worth a listen.
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Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Contemporary Blues    3. Memphis Blues    4. Modern Electric Blues    5. Pop    6. Soul-Blues    7. United States of America   

Editorial Review

In a brief interview that precedes this CD's four bonus tracks--all unreleased gems from the original 1984 sessions--Stevie Ray Vaughan makes the point that "music used to be more based on common everyday occurrences like a train's sound going down the track ... a horse walking." Then he comes on with a version of Freddie King's "Hideaway" that chugs like a locomotive. There's also a heretofore unheard slide-guitar-powered "Give Me Back My Wig" and a blueprint of what became Read more

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (34)

Unoriginal, but enjoyable
Whether you know it or not, you've heard an LP like this before. But the difference between Couldn't Stand the Weather and other similar LP's; you'd be hard-pressed to find a better guitarist than Stevie. That being said, don't expect to shelve your Allman Brothers Band so you can devote your life to the music of SRV. However, you should expect to enjoy this every time you hear it.
Hendrixian Genius
For a person who has so many opposite characteristics to Hendrix - white, right handed, slightly overweight Texan - he sure shows alot of similarities to the legendary guitarist; proof that looks, race and location have no effect on good music.His playing style consists of the same adventurous stage ploys- playing behind the back, through the legs, and everywhere else- while also containing the ability to go from hard hitting romps to soulful ballads and still be the master of the instrument.Hendix covers by SRV always stand up well to the original and stand as a tribute to the first master."Voodoo Child" holds it's ground extremely well, but no one can do the opening wahwah riffs as well as Hendrix.After a only decent opening, the song opens up as a masterpeice that hits harder than the original.
****1/2. Even better with bonus tracks
While not quite matching the greatness of Stevie Ray Vaughan's debut album, "Couldn't Stand The Weather" is a terrific album in its own right.
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Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Blues-Rock    3. Electric Texas Blues    4. Modern Electric Blues    5. Modern Electric Texas Blues    6. Pop    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop    9. Texas Blues    10. United States of America   

Reviews (4)

MUST SEE MUST HEAR
I HAVE ALL OF ALBERT'S CD'S I HAVE SEEN HIM LIVE 3 TIMES. HE PLAYES A FENDER STRAT THRU A VIBRO KING AMP.HE CREATES A TONE UNLIKE ANY OTHER. YOU CAN CLOSE YOUR EYES AND PICTURE STEVIE RAY ON STAGE. A VERY TASTEY TREAT FOR ANY LISTENER.

Mr. Cummings' best effort (so far!)
Within all the blues-rock guitarists out there, I believe that Mr. Cummings deserves to be considered as one of the best and his second album published by Blind Pig Records surely proves it. After three CDs in which the accent was stronger on the rock side of his music, this time the balance has moved towards the blues and the final result is excellent. Not a bad song to be found in here, they are all good and you will not be tempted to press the skip bottom of your CD player at any time. Up-tempo, classic Texas blues, shuffles but also slow numbers in the menu. And it is especially in the slow ones that Mr. Cummings gives his best as in "Let Me Be" and "Rumors" that for me are the two best songs of the album. I would say that Working Man is his best effort so far, so if you are already his fan you shouldn't miss a second and buy it, if you are new to Albert's music this is the best point to start from. Without any doubts a full 5 stars CD!

Another excellent blues cd from one of the new stars
ALBERT CUMMINGS seemed to capture the feel of SRV very well on his previous CD and it was excellent ( even if a bit derivative ). This one is a lot less SRV and a lot more CUMMINGS. Not one dud track and a consistenly high standard throughout. Definetly one of the best of the current crop of white electric blues man. If you like the guitar and the blues, this is a must have. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bass    2. Blues    3. Contemporary Blues    4. Drums    5. Guitar (Electric)    6. Modern Electric Blues    7. Pop    8. Vocals   

Editorial Review

If there's a certain instant familiarity to this collaborative celebration between U.S. guitar icon/musicologist Ry Cooder and Cuban fret legend Manuel Galbán, it's only testimony to how deeply the island nation's rich musical heritage permeated American pop music in the '50s, '60s, and beyond. Cooder and Galbán (a key compatriot in the American guitarist's Read more

Reviews (56)

Unbearably Cool Guitar
I first heard "Drume Negrita" on my local NPR station (Oregon Public Broadcasting has a great night time lineup) about a year ago and nearly lost it when I heard all that fabulous twang, reverb and slow tremolo, played with such taste and restraint that I knew it must be a master at work. I was not surprised to find out that Ry Cooder was involved, but the CD is even more rewarding than I expected for there are two great masters at play here.
my favorite Ry Cooder
while i have difficulty getting into some Ry Cooder albums, this one is starkly different.I consider this album to have some of the most important guitar works that i own, the compositions and his guitar tones are immaculate.This album and of course the Bueno Vista Social Club are the ones that do it for me.

Can I Please Give This 6 Stars?
This was, in my world, the album of the year, and something I listen to a million times more often than the Buena Vista stuff, (which I like). I've turned many, many people on to this recording. The melodies are timeless, yet exotic, the rhythms quietly syncopated and complex, Ry's background/ambient guitar flourishes are exercises in restraint while accentuating the hazy atmosphere of the sessions ... and when he adds some slide, it gets downright spacy. And it turned me on to the unique quality of musico cubano, and elicited some pangs of regret that we've been blockaded, politically, from the wonderful aspects of this culture. Definitely Ry's greatest achievement - the Cuban project in general, this recording in particular. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Latin Jazz    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. World Music   

Editorial Review

John Lee Hooker used to say "the blues is a feeling," but this collection is proof that it's also a universal language. These 11 songs by musicians from South and North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa are a thoroughly enjoyable summation of the genre's ability to cut through cultural barriers to touch the heart. "Slide Blues" by Argentina's Botafogo could be a Delta relic if not for its Spanish lyrics. And singer Big Mama with harp man Victor Uris beautifully blur the lines between Catalonia and Chicago. The great pianist Otis Spann and the trio of Eric Bibb, Rory Block, and Maria Muldaur provide two straight-up shots of the style. The best tunes are outright cross-cultural collaborations.Read more

Reviews (1)

A must have for blues lovers
If you love the blues, you must add this to your collection. It's fascinating and fun to hear how the blues have spread - and been adapted - around the world. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Contemporary Blues    3. Pop    4. Regional Mexican    5. World Fusion    6. Worldbeat   

Editorial Review

Stinging urban blues by way of Texas and Memphis distinguish Robert Cray's major-label debut, which followed three strong independent releases. Here he fleshes out his sound with bursts of brassy Southern soul courtesy of the Memphis Horns, but keeps his pungent, steely guitar solos out front in an engaging dialogue with his plaintive vocals. Released in 1986, Read more

Reviews (32)

Robert Cray's Smoking
Robert Cray is last in the line of great bluesman. He took the torch of BB King and Albert Collins and made something special. It is a rocking blend of stax, r&b, and memphis soul. There really is no one to compare it to, today. His singing is outrageously soulful and a throwback to Bobby Bland. His guitar playing is literally unparalleled, even with his relavtively short solos. There isn't much he can't say with one note, and white blues players simply pale in comparison.
fantastic breakthrough album
Very few albums truly merit a "5 star" rating (handed out on amazon.com like they're going out of style nonetheless, but I digress). However, in the genre of modern blues and soul this is certainly one album that deserves all the credit it has received. Every track here is catchy and will get your head bobbing - the melodies and grooves are that good. On top of that you have Cray's fantastic guitar tone and licks, as well as his strong, soulful voice. Not much here is new (after all this is the blues we're talking about) but Cray manages to make each song sound distinct and uniquely attractive. Blues purists may sneer, but music lovers who value good melody and passionate vocals will love it.

Outstanding release !
When Robert Cray came onto the scene it was a time for Metal and even though I was and always will be into Metal this Album was a breath of fresh air.
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Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Contemporary Blues    3. Modern Electric Blues    4. Pop    5. Popular Music    6. Retro-Soul    7. Rock    8. Soul-Blues   

Editorial Review

Unlike many men, Alligator Records never forgets an anniversary. "The country's largest contemporary blues label," as it rightly bills itself, has released multidisc compilations celebrating its 20th, 25th, 30th, and now 35th years. For reasons that aren't entirely clear, only tracks recorded for an artist's first Alligator disc are chosen for this chronologically presented summary of music that stretches from Hound Dog Taylor's electrifying 1971 label debut to Mavis Staples's in 2004. Although the imprint made a tentative stab at reggae in the mid '80s, its roster generally upholds the "genuine houserocking music" credo Alligator has boasted as a tagline since the early days. Whether reviving the careers of blues rockers (Johnny Winter, Roy Buchanan, Lonnie Mack, Elvin Bishop) or ageing icons with plenty of gas left in their tanks (Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, Katie Webster, Mavis Staples, James Cotton, Guitar Shorty) or finding new blood to carry on the traditions (Michael Burks, Corey Harris, Dave Hole, Tinsley Ellis, Shemekia Copeland), Alligator sets the standard for what an independent label can achieve. These 35 nuggets extracted from a catalog of 225 albums only begin to tell the label's story, but there's not a weak one in the lot. Founder Bruce Iglauer's intriguing and insightful liner notes for each act add depth to the tunes, making Read more

Reviews (3)

Genuine Soul Rockin' Music
Even though this package only compiles material from Alligator Records, you probably won't find a more fascinating tour through the history of the Blues over the last 35 years. Of course, Alligator has a knack for signing up the most interesting Blues maestros. This compilation shows the development of cutting-edge Blues over the namesake era, ever since Alligator's inaugural release with Hound Dog Taylor in 1971. During much of this era, the Blues was still progressing, before settling into the respectful revivalism of recent years. In the 70s, Alligator was at the forefront with new artists who added flavor to tried-and-true styles, like the sinister Son Seals or the groovy Lonnie Brooks. Also during that decade, Alligator brought several veteran masters back into prominence, with powerful new material by the likes of Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, and Professor Longhair (noteworthy for his authoritative New Orleans style). As this compilation rumbles along, we hear a surprising amount of experimentation and progression in the 1980s, as interesting new artists expanded the basic template of the Blues, including some great finds like Lil' Mo & the Blues Imperials and Little Charlie & the Nightcats. The songs here from the 90s and 00s show that even the genius artists at Alligator followed the trend in Blues to solidify the classic template, with technical chops becoming more important than innovation - notwithstanding intriguing gospel-inflected works from the Holmes Brothers and the queenly Mavis Staples. But thanks to the impeccable expertise and taste exercised by Alligator when signing masters both new and old, this compilation is a must for any fan or historian of modern Blues. [~doomsdayer520~]

A great range of great artists
This double-CD set has great artists, great selections from the artists, and a killer set of liner packaging.You get some choice information and showings by legendary cats as well as non-household names, with explanations as to why they were great (as if the music wasn't doing that job already).And at the price, you can't beat the value.

A great collection for anyone
If you're just getting into contemporary blues or you've been listening for awhile, you're going to love this collection.Alligator has been one of the class acts of the indie labels for a long time and these discs give you an idea why they are so well thought of.35 artists doing the first track from their first Alligator release.Marica Ball, Coco Montoya, Lonnie Mack, Johnny Winter, William Clarke and the list goes on with not a weak cut in the carload.These type of samplers are great if you're just getting into this type of music since you do get a wide selection of artists and styles.Alligator has released double disc anniversary sets in honor of yeas 20, 25, 30 and now, 35.They're all great to listen to, so grab one or all of them and have yourself a party with genuine houserocking music from people who know how to do it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Album Rock    2. Blues    3. Blues Collections    4. Blues-Rock    5. Contemporary Blues    6. Electric Chicago Blues    7. Electric Harmonica Blues    8. Electric Texas Blues    9. Harmonica Blues    10. Modern Acoustic Blues    11. Modern Electric Blues    12. Modern Electric Chicago Blues    13. Modern Electric Texas Blues    14. New Orleans Blues    15. Piano Blues    16. Pop    17. R&B    18. Slide Guitar Blues    19. Soul-Blues    20. Swamp Blues   

Editorial Review

With his chocolaty cool, soulful Memphis croon and sure sense of melody, Robert Cray has never been considered a straightahead bluesman. His often interchangeable albums have instead stayed closer to R&B, adding compact, stinging lead guitar to songs about matters of the heart. That formula remains, with minor variations, on Cray's 14th release, rather confusingly named Read more

Reviews (12)

Robert just Grooooooves!
Ok, I want to write this review in regards to Robert who to me has the most wonderful voice ever! I say this because as a guitar player He makes you realize just how good he can be and versatile in his playing, But its his voice that blows me away every album he does he gets just better! This album is different and he shows this on "my Last Regret". It makes me want to sip some whiskey at an all night blues club and groove until the sunsets! It brings back the originality of blues and what it is to play blues. Hes a master and all his albums have gems on them. this is no exception, its a great album and if you like Robert(and his band) or blues remember hes been around a long time and keeps pushing out killer albums. Poor Johnny and Twenty about a soldier in iraq is very appropriate. and sad because im a veteran and have felt used up and wondered where do i go from here.. and have had trouble dealing with my life after the army!. I can serve my country and fight but cant get a job at a wal-mart here!. promises they dont keep anymore is so true ! This is a true album and one of Roberts and his bands best! he really thought about these songs!Him and his ole Fender!im a fan of his for life!he soothes me!and cools me! from "i know you will"! hes just cool!

Three and a half stars
More of the same from Mr. Cray & Company. Noteworthy that the album is strong all the way through; not the usual front-load & then drop-off you get from most artists. Twenty, his "protest song" is effective because it's not pedantic, but in Robert's usual "slice of life" style. They even throw in a waltz time. Read some of the other reviews here as well. We're pretty much all saying the same thing.

Average Robert Still Great
Like Van, or the Stones, Robert Cray has a formula that works for him. I am a huge fan and have been since day 1. I like the silky, smooth vocals and Stax/soul feel to his brand of blues. He does however need to branch out a little. Maybe back to some Chicago blues or swing a little but he has sounded a tad 'repeated' on the last few discs. I'd like to see his voice highlighted more (EX. "Don't Break This Ring"...from 'A Shame and a Sin', incredible) and his guitar work put to the forefront. Yes, a little repepitive but 'already done' Cray is better than most stuff out there. Love to hear a live album from him!! Check yourself back into the 'Done We Wrong' motel lyrically, leave the politicalmusings to others. Don't get me wrong, a great disc, but no new charted waters musically. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Contemporary Blues    3. Modern Electric Blues    4. Pop    5. Soul-Blues   

Editorial Review

Although this is his first nationally distributed album, Eric Lindell is probably already tired of hearing himself tagged as "blue-eyed soul." But there is truth in that description. Sounding somewhat similar to Delbert McClinton and, with his lanky frame and scraggly beard, looking a bit like a tattooed young Bruce Springsteen/Tom Waits mashup, Lindell has the pipes, the style, and the songs to break out of his bluesy niche and into the mainstream. Recorded at various times in California and New Orleans with a revolving cast of musicians, Read more

Reviews (6)

Better Than I expected
Fell in love with the first song that I heard on the radio (Change in the Weather).Love every song on the CD. It's a fun CD.

simply excellent
This is an absolutely excellent collection of songs.While it is reminiscent of other blues artists, and there might even be a very slight touch of Grateful Dead influence, the sound is fresh.You won't be disappointed.

AddictingMusic
One of the best pieces of music I have heard in awhile.Not your traditional blues, more of a blend of a number of different types of music.Each song is different, but the CD has a certain rhythm that has you humming long after the CD ends.My favorite is "All Alone", great slow dance song that makes you want to pull that someone special in close and whisper in her ear.Another song, "Uncle John", is another one of my favorites, that has toes tapping and singing along.Highly suggest this CD to anyone who loves music. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Contemporary Blues    3. Pop    4. Rock/Pop