Sonny Landreth
From The Reach
Landfall Records
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also available on amazon
Right from the beautiful subdued tones, but sharp cover photograph (the beautiful booklet packaging follows this theme) to the opening track with a trading of guitar solos with Mark Knopfler, you realize that a lot of thought and planning has gone into this disc. Once again this slide guitar wizard takes us on a sonic adventure into areas that are hardly explored let alone mapped out with his vision and dexterity. This time he does it sharp and pointed songwriting, he wrote all the tunes on the disc except The Goin’ On, which he co-wrote with Wendy Waldman, and with the help of several musicians that he wanted to collaborate with. He invites some of his favorite fellow guitar masters from a variety of different genres to join with him on these collaborations, such as Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson, Vince Gill, and Robben Ford jump aboard for the adventure, as well as singer Jimmy Buffett and the iconic New Orleans pianist and vocalist, Dr John. But make no mistake this is not one of those throwaway star-studded discs; this is an incisive disc and a showcase for the dexterity and musical giftedness of all on the disc. Just take a listen to his interplay with Eric Johnson on, The Milky Way Home, a stunning instrumental cut, the guitars interplay and push each other to extend the reaches of the known galaxy. Right from this into Storm of
Worry, a slower blues number that has him exchanging riffs with Eric Clapton. Further on we bring in shades of Country Rock with his trading of guitar licks and vocal leads with Vince Gill on The Goin’ On, which takes the stepping-stones of Pure Prairie League’s work to a new level.
There is not a weak cut on the disc, the additional players all add to the sum total of the project that has utilized David Ranson on bass, Michael Burch on drums and percussion, Steve Conn on keyboards, Sam Broussard – acoustic guitar, Tony Daigle – percussion and Brian Brignac – percussion. The stunning photography of Jack Spencer is featured and adds volumes to the design of the whole project, which was done by Megan Barra, and the stunning production work by Sonny Landreth and Tony Daigle that pervades the whole disc. No matter how it is sliced this is a disc that will stand up to the test of repeated listening, as new levels are constantly revealed.