Sonny Landreth - Recorded Live in Lafayette

by Stephen Simkin

published: 20 / 9 / 2017

Sonny Landreth - Recorded Live in Lafayette

Label: Provogue
Format: CD X2

Magical double live CD from acclaimed blues guitarist Sonny Landreth recorded in Lafayette in Louisiana

Review

Sonny Landreth’s latest release is an in concert recording taped in Landreth’s home territory, Louisiana. His solo career stretches way back as far as 1981, but Landreth also has a long track record of collaborating with a starry array of fellow musicians including, notably, John Hiatt, Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton – high calibre artists who recognise Landreth’s special gifts as a songwriter and slide guitarist. 'Live in Lafayette' is neatly divided into two CDs (for the old school amongst us), and each disc showcases a different side of Landreth’s considerable talents. The first disc features an acoustic set with Landreth mostly playing the beautiful Larry Pogreba ‘hubcap’ resonator guitar depicted in the album’s striking cover image. The guitar was apparently a gift from Mark Knopfler who guested on the studio recording of 'Creole Angel' from Landreth’s 'South of I-10' album – a song which appears here laden with harmonies and driven by a pulsing rhythm that recalls Knopfler’s rhythmic style. With a set of songs mostly played in open G, the stark guitar stylings are nicely filled out by a combination of percussion, accordion and background vocals. A judicious selection of some of Sonny’s originals are nicely complemented by an inventive version of the blues standard 'Key to the Highway'. The second disc shifts gear with the infectious riff and Cajun groove of 'Back to Bayou Teche', a highlight of Sonny’s 1992 album 'Outward Bound', and a song that is usually reserved as an extended encore. On this version, the typically lengthy improvisations are reined in, while still providing a showcase for Landreth’s skill with a bottleneck slide on his customary 1980's era ’59 reissue Strat – his throaty, voice-like slide tones, often embellished with rich harmonics, remain utterly distinctive. The remaining seven songs cover a gamut of styles from the almost prog-leaning 'The Milky Way Home' and 'Brave New Girl' to the super-charged instrumental 'Uberesso' and gospel-tinged 'Soul Salvation'. The set closes out with a song sung by keyboardist Steve Conn and which finds Sonny himself let loose on slide, alternately in conversation and duelling with Conn’s accordion: a fittingly steamy climax to a superb live album.

Track Listing:-

1 Blues Attack
2 Hell At Home
3 Key To The Highway
4 Creole Angel
5 A World Away
6 The High Side
7 Bound By The Blues
8 The U.S.S. Zydecoldsmobile
9 Back To Bayou Teche
10 True Blue
11 The Milky Way Home
12 Brave New Girl
13 Überesso
14 Soul Salvation
15 Walkin' Blues
16 The One And Only Truth