Sonny Landreth – Recorded Live at Lafayette

At a smidge longer than the length of a football match, acclaimed slide guitarist Sonny Landreth and his band of long-time cohorts have delivered on Recorded Live at Lafayette an El Classico of their own. This part acoustic / part electric offering of some of the finest live blues around was recorded across three nights by Tony Daigle, the result of which being nothing short of magnificent. Not for nothing is Landreth back-to-back winner of Blues Music Awards for Best Guitarist.

Spread across two discs – and 93 minutes – Landreth oozes quiet cool, his playing as deliciously smooth, as chocolaty and warm as anyone dare wish and yet still the man who has collaborated and toured alongside the likes of Mayall, Clapton and Knopfler – the latter of whom gave Landreth the custom-engraved Beltona featured on the album’s cover – manages to bring new spice to some old favourites such as the opening Blues Attack.

What shines through most, however, is the out-and-out fun the boys in the band are having. If ever there’re numbers to underline this, then U.S.S. Zydecoldsmobile and The One and Only Truth are surely two. Jammed with zip, both cuts positively hum along with joyousness developing into a full blown party by the time both wrap up.

A highlight amongst the extensive track list is the exceptional cover of Big Bill Broonzy’s 1941 blues standard Key To the Highway, which here has been given a lick of paint and polished up to full beam. Landreth’s vocals underplayed by Steve Conn’s accordion and Dave Ranson’s ukulele bass make this one big stew of a track that more than satisfies at every chord.

Überesso and Brave New Girl are stunning instrumental asides that show just how accomplished a player Landreth is – as though that’s really necessary – whereas Creole Angel is as catchy as it is magnificent. For every Soul Salvation which finally allows for things to wind down a little, there’s a Walkin’ Blues to crank things up again.

Sonny Landreth Recorded Live at Lafayette is an album that encapsulates sixteen album’s worth of fabulous blues output. A collection of tunes so timeless and so immaculately executed, from the moment it begins to the moment it ends with The One and Only Truth the listener will be checking the Net for future gigs of their own to experience.

Sonny Landreth

Recorded Live at Lafayette

Audio CD / 2 Disc

Label: PROVOGUE RECORDS

30 June, 2017

Track List

Disc 1: Acoustic

Blues Attack

Hell At Home

Key to the Highway

Creole Angel

A World Away

The High Side

Bound by the Blues

The USS Zydescoldsmobile

Disc 2: Electric

Back To You Teche

True Blue

The Bilky Way Home

Brave New Girl

Uberesso

Soul Salvation

Walkin’ Blues

The One and Only Truth