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  • "Stevie Ray Vaughan's second album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, pretty much did everything a second album should do: it confirmed that the acclaimed debut was no fluke, while matching, if not bettering, the sales of its predecessor, thereby cementing Vaughan's status as a giant of modern blues. So why does it feel like a letdown? Perhaps because it simply offers more of the same, all the while relying heavily on covers. Of the eight songs, half are covers, while two of his four originals are instrumentals -- not necessarily a bad thing, but it gives the impression that Vaughan threw the album together in a rush, even if he didn't. Nevertheless, Couldn't Stand the Weather feels a bit like a holding pattern, since there's no elaboration on Double Trouble's core sound and no great strides forward, whether it's in Vaughan's songwriting or musicianship. Still, as holding patterns go, it's a pretty enjoyable one, since Vaughan and Double Trouble play spiritedly throughout the record. With its swaggering, stuttering riff, the title track ranks as one of Vaughan's classics, and thanks to a nuanced vocal, he makes W.C. Clark's "Cold Shot" his own. The instrumentals -- the breakneck Lonnie Mack-styled "Scuttle Buttin'" and "Stang's Swang," another effective demonstration of Vaughan's jazz inclinations -- work well, even if the original shuffle "Honey Bee" fails to make much of an impression and the cover of "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)" is too reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix's original. So, there aren't many weaknesses on the record, aside from the suspicion that Vaughan didn't really push himself as hard as he could have, and the feeling that if he had, he would have come up with something a bit stronger. " - Allmusic
    $7.50
  • "Still Alive and Well proved to the record-buying public that Johnny Winter was both. This is a truly enjoyable album, chock-full of great tunes played well. Johnny's version of the Rolling Stones' "Silver Train" revealed the potential of this song and what the Stones failed to capture. Everything here is good, so get it and dig in." - Allmusic
    $7.50
  • For six decades, Robin Trower's career has been an act of quiet rebellion. Rewind the reels of the British guitarist's backstory and you'll find an artist who has always rolled the dice rather than take the path of least resistance. Fast-forward to 2023 and Trower's new studio album, Joyful Sky, represents vindication for his latest flash of artistic instinct. Always receptive to singers who can elevate his emotive guitar touch, the 78-year-old heard a quality in the smoky power of the acclaimed New Yorker Sari Schorr that made him want to tear down and rebuild his song craft around her. "I've worked with some great vocalists over the years but Sari is dynamite, just an absolute knockout," reflects Trower. "This album really pushed me, made me write in different keys and arrange songs for her voice. I went more down the R&B route this time, because I knew she'd be great with that flavor. But the blues still underpins everything I do - and there's definitely elements from my '70s stuff.
    $16.00
  • "On the back cover of Captured Live!, Johnny Winter's second live album (following 1971's Live Johnny Winter And), Winter is pictured with his band (second guitarist Floyd Radford, bass player Randy Jo Hobbs, and drummer Richard Hughes) from the back, playing before a giant, open-air sports stadium full of fans. The photograph is not identified, leaving the impression, along with the large cheering heard on the LP itself, that Winter was headlining such a venue -- but he couldn't have been, because he isn't that big a name. He must have been performing as part of a festival or opening for an act that can fill stadiums, like the Rolling Stones. The photograph encapsulates the dilemma of Johnny Winter's career, seven years after he signed a lucrative contract with CBS Records (his discs are now issued by its Blue Sky subsidiary). His early renown came as a fleet-fingered blues guitarist, but the music industry pitched him as a potential superstar performer. Instead, Live Johnny Winter And has turned out to be his only gold album, and he remains a fleet-fingered guitarist, as usual playing rock & roll as well as blues. One reason he hasn't satisfied the potential the business people saw in him probably is that he hasn't turned out to be a songwriter; here, the only song credited to him is the 12-and-a-half-minute slow blues number "Sweet Papa John" that closes the disc. Otherwise, he plays the standards "Bony Moronie," "It's All Over Now," and "Highway 61 Revisited," as well as songs written for him by his old bandmate Rick Derringer ("Roll with Me") and John Lennon ("Rock & Roll People"). All the songs are basically vehicles for his guitar playing, sometimes performed in unison with Radford. Winter plays fast, filling up measures with torrents of notes that must impress any guitar fan, and he earns the big cheers heard in between numbers. It's no surprise that his biggest seller is a live album, and this one is another accomplished effort. But there's nothing on it to suggest that he will ever sell out a huge stadium on his name alone." - Allmusic
    $5.00
  • "Using the mystic sounds of the late 60’s and early 70’s as their base, the Blue Pills continue to blend a sweet concoction of blues-rock on ‘Lady In Gold’.The title track gets things off with a fist in the air rock anthem. The droning keyboards form the backdrop for the electric vocals of Elin Larsson as the song builds up to the chorus. Dorian Sorriaux’s guitar is soaked in overdriven furry fuzz and bleeds reverb and swooshing phaser giving off a strong psychedelic vibe.While there is no denying that the Blue Pills have a love affair for the glory days of psychedelic rock and soul, they make this genre all their own with inventive melodies and hungry rhythms that seek to nest within the essence of your being. This is hammered home on the space rocking “Little Boy Preacher” and the tripped out “Elements and Things”. Elin channels the scorching tones of Janis Joplin and Grace Slick with a hint of Adele, yet her voice is all her own and it is glorious.The blue roots of the Blue Pills are exposed on “You Gotta Try”. Andre Kvarnstrom instinctively knows when to lie back and when to kick the beat in the ass. His drumming is understated, yet drives the intensity of changes through out the song. Andre has an uncanny sense of when to throw in some flash and when to ride the wave. Zach Anderson’s driving bass gets some well-deserved attention on “Rejection” as he provides the pulsing power that propels this soulful rocking tune. The whole band is on fire with this song and I think it is the standout track on the album. Start to finish; this song embodies the soulful passion of the Blue Pills.‘Lady In Gold’ showcases the soulful majesty and love of music that makes the Blue Pills a joy to listen to. Each song embraces the psychedelic fueled blues-rock of pioneers Jefferson Airplane, Iron Butterfly and the Chi-Lites while retaining their originality. It is time to sew a new freak flag blazing with the day-glory of the Blue Pills." - Metal Wani
    $12.00
  • "With slick production from Nile Rodgers and employing neither guitarist's band (Double Trouble nor the Fabulous Thunderbirds), this is bluesy, but far from purist. Jimmie makes his vocal debut on "White Boots" and "Good Texan," and the brothers blur the lines between their expected guitar styles -- Stevie sometimes going for a less sustainy twang, Jimmie moving into Albert King territory. When standard blues is the order of the day (the slow instro "Brothers"), the key word is "standard" -- bordering on run-of-the-mill. Instrumentals "D/FW" and "Hillbillies from Outer Space" fare better -- offering ZZ Top crunch and Santo & Johnny steel, respectively." - Allmusic
    $5.00
  • "Legendary British bluesrock guitar statesman, Robin Trower approaches his finest hour with 'time and emotion' his latest tune set. Trower's evocative note bends and signature tone along with his powerful lead vocals totally bring it. There are plenty of tightly knitted bass lines and drum grooves supporting RT's gut lifting sound to titillate the listener's ear. It is an unadulterated combustion of rock, blues and soul, lots of what Strat-fans crave from this unique artist. Track highlights include 'the land of plenty', 'i'm gone', 'bitten by the snake' 'if you believe in me', 'you're the one' and the title track 'time and emotion' but there are no weak tracks on this CD all there is is lots of classic Robin Trower! Catch Robin live on the upcoming Central and Western US tour. Watch while a master re-envisions tunes known and new. Listen as songs from the new CD transmogrify in live performance. Don’t miss it."
    $16.00
  • Remastered with 5 bonus tracks."It's hard to overestimate the impact Stevie Ray Vaughan's debut, Texas Flood, had upon its release in 1983. At that point, blues was no longer hip, the way it was in the '60s. Texas Flood changed all that, climbing into the Top 40 and spending over half a year on the charts, which was practically unheard of for a blues recording. Vaughan became a genuine star and, in doing so, sparked a revitalization of the blues. This was a monumental impact, but his critics claimed that, no matter how prodigious Vaughan's instrumental talents were, he didn't forge a distinctive voice; instead, he wore his influences on his sleeve, whether it was Albert King's pinched yet muscular soloing or Larry Davis' emotive singing. There's a certain element of truth in that, but that was sort of the point of Texas Flood. Vaughan didn't hide his influences; he celebrated them, pumping fresh blood into a familiar genre. When Vaughan and Double Trouble cut the album over the course of three days in 1982, he had already played his set lists countless times; he knew how to turn this material inside out or goose it up for maximum impact. The album is paced like a club show, kicking off with Vaughan's two best self-penned songs, "Love Struck Baby" and "Pride and Joy," then settling into a pair of covers, the slow-burning title track and an exciting reading of Howlin' Wolf's "Tell Me," before building to the climax of "Dirty Pool" and "I'm Crying." Vaughan caps the entire thing with "Lenny," a lyrical, jazzy tribute to his wife. It becomes clear that Vaughan's true achievement was finding something personal and emotional by fusing different elements of his idols. Sometimes the borrowing was overt, and other times subtle, but it all blended together into a style that recalled the past while seizing the excitement and essence of the present." - Allmusic
    $7.50
  • "The posthumously assembled ten-track outtakes collection The Sky Is Crying actually proves to be one of Stevie Ray Vaughan's most consistent albums, rivaling In Step as the best outside of the Greatest Hits collection. These songs were recorded in sessions spanning from 1984's Couldn't Stand the Weather to 1989's In Step and were left off of the LPs for whatever reason (or, in the case of Soul to Soul's "Empty Arms," a different version was used). What makes the record work is its eclectic diversity -- Vaughan plays slide guitar on "Boot Hill" and acoustic on "Life by the Drop"; he smokes on the slow blues of "May I Have a Talk With You" and the title track just as much as on the up-tempo Lonnie Mack cover, "Wham"; and he shows the jazzy side of his playing on Hendrix's "Little Wing" and Kenny Burrell's "Chitlins Con Carne." But it's not just musical diversity that makes the record work, it's also Vaughan's emotional range. From the morbidly dark "Boot Hill" to the lilting "Little Wing" to the exuberant tributes to his influences -- Lonnie Mack on "Wham" and Albert King on "The Sky Is Crying" -- Vaughan makes the material resonate, and in light of his death, "The Sky Is Crying" and the touching survivor-story ballad "Life by the Drop" are two of the most moving moments in Vaughan's oeuvre." - Allmusic
    $7.50
  • Remastered with 3 bonus tracks."By adding two members to Double Trouble -- keyboardist Reese Wynans and saxophonist Joe Sublett -- Stevie Ray Vaughan indicated he wanted to add soul and R&B inflections to his basic blues sound, and Soul to Soul does exactly that. It's still a modern blues album, yet it has a wider sonic palette, finding Vaughan fusing a variety of blues, rock, and R&B styles. Most of this is done through covers -- notably Hank Ballard's "Look at Little Sister," the exquisitely jazzy "Gone Home," and Doyle Bramhall's impassioned soul-blues "Change It" -- but Vaughan's songwriting occasionally follows suit, as well. Even if only the tortured blues wailer "Ain't Gone 'n' Give Up on Love" entered his acknowledged canon, he throws in some delightful soul-funk touches on "Say What!," the instrumental wah-wah workout that kicks off the album, and the Curtis Mayfield-inspired closer, "Life Without You," captures Vaughan at his best as a composer and performer. It's such a seductive number -- such a full realization of his soul-blues ambitions -- that the rest of the album pales in comparison. In fact, for all of its positive attributes, Soul to Soul winds up being less than the sum of its parts, and it's hard to pinpoint an exact reason why. Perhaps it was because Vaughan was on the verge of a horrible battle with substance abuse at the time of recording or perhaps it just has that unevenness inherent in transitional albums. Still, he has good taste in covers, his originals are sturdy, and there's not a bad performance here, so Soul to Soul winds up enjoyable in spite of its flaws, and it clearly points the way to his 1989 masterpiece, In Step." - Allmusic
    $7.50
  • "Live Alive is a magnificent double-length showcase for Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar playing, featuring a number of extended jams on a selection of most of the best material from Vaughan's first three albums, plus covers of "Willie the Wimp," "I'm Leaving You (Commit a Crime)," and Stevie Wonder's "Superstition." The album may not be exceptionally tight or concise, but then again, that's not the point. The renditions here sound less polished than the studio versions, with Vaughan's guitar tone bitingly down and dirty and his playing spontaneous and passionate." - Allmusic
    $7.50
  • "Individually, Edgar Winter and his brother Johnny Winter are powerful artists, but combined, they are virtually unstoppable. On this live set, the brothers are just having the time of their lives, digging deep into their bag of favorites and pulling out smoking renditions of the Sam and Dave classic "Soul Man" and the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling." The history of rock & roll continues with Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" and "Good Golly Miss Molly" and Chuck Berry's "Reelin' and Rockin'." The Winters go Detroit on Mitch Ryder's "Jenny Take a Ride" and pay homage to the King, Elvis Presley, with "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Jailhouse Rock." From start to finish, Edgar and Johnny are having a rockin' and rollin' good time, and that happiness channels over to the listener." - Allmusic
    $9.00
  • "Live at Carnegie Hall captures Stevie Ray Vaughan on the supporting tour for his second album, 1984's Couldn't Stand the Weather. The Carnegie Hall concert was a special show, since it was the only time Vaughan and Double Trouble added the brass section from Roomful of Blues to augment their sound; in addition, the concert featured guest appearances from Stevie's brother Jimmie and Dr. John. There might have been more musicians than usual on-stage, but Stevie Ray remains the center of attention, and he is in prime form here, tearing through a selection of his best-known songs which generally sound tougher in concert than they do in the studio. It's the best live Stevie Ray record yet released. " - Allmusic
    $7.50
  • Remasterd with 5 bonus tracks."Stevie Ray Vaughan had always been a phenomenal guitarist, but prior to In Step, his songwriting was hit or miss. Even when he wrote a classic modern blues song, it was firmly within the genre's conventions; only on Soul to Soul's exquisite soul-blues "Life Without You" did he attempt to stretch the boundaries of the form. As it turns out, that was the keynote for In Step, an album where Vaughan found his own songwriting voice, blending blues, soul, and rock in unique ways, and writing with startling emotional honesty. Yes, there are a few covers, all well chosen, but the heart of the album rests in the songs he co-wrote with Doyle Bramhall, the man who penned the Soul to Soul highlight "Change It." Bramhall proved to be an ideal collaborator for Vaughan; tunes like the terse "Tightrope" and the dense "Wall of Denial" feel so intensely personal, it's hard to believe that they weren't the product of just one man. Yet the lighter numbers -- the dynamite boogie "The House Is Rockin'" and the breakneck blues of "Scratch-n-Sniff" -- are just as effective as songs. Of course, he didn't need words to make effective music: "Travis Walk" is a blistering instrumental, complete with intricate fingerpicking reminiscent of the great country guitarist Merle Travis, while the shimmering "Riviera Paradise" is every bit as lyrical and lovely as his previous charmer, "Lenny." The magnificent thing about In Step is how it's fully realized, presenting every facet of Vaughan's musical personality, yet it still soars with a sense of discovery. It's a bittersweet triumph, given Vaughan's tragic death a little over a year after its release, yet it's a triumph all the same." - Allmusic
    $7.50