Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - In Step
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Free Music Notes for In Step
Free Music Review: A Slice of Heaven
Hit: 5 Stars
I had heard the name Stevie Ray Vaughan a lot, and I believe I had heard one or two songs on the radio, but for some odd reason, I never really heard his music until a little while after his passing. Then, in 1991, I got a job with a blues band in Dallas playing piano and organ. Stevie's from Oak Cliff - a section of Dallas. I love playing blues, because when the band members listen to each other, things fall together. It has a lot of similarities to jazz that way. So, it tuned out that many of the songs started by the guitarist (who had known Stevie and was excellent in his own right), were SRV songs. A joy to play. During breaks, customers would play the jukebox, and that was the time I wanted to unwind in. It seems like every break, someone's quarter went to selecting this long, absolutely beautiful, slow 6/8 instrumental. I could literally feel stress evaporating from my body. I found myself going into a meditative state, just smiling and feeling total relaxation. It wasn't like any new age massage music, though... it had grit. I later found out that it was Riviera Paradise by Stevie Ray. Wow! A twelve minute cure for what ails you... with all the grit & beauty; the bittersweet quality of life itself.I love all of Stevie's upbeat rockers with his satisfyingly fluid guitar work that flows like a river with a mission. This particular album, which expresses many things he had learned while struggling with the addictions of show biz fast lane life, is perfection. There's an understanding of life well lived that oozes through the most down to earth blues feelings you can find. And when Riviera Paradise comes on, it literally transports you to a place of receptiveness... where you can accept yourself, both strengths and weaknesses, and allow the better life that's available for anyone that will let it in.
It's so unfortunate for us that Stevie Ray was taken so suddenly; so soon. But it's clear from this album that he was intact and ready for anything. And when you take in his entire catalog of recorded music, you experience a man on a journey, who, no matter what he was going through, was always able to speak volumes through his guitar, and who's wonderfully unique voice (which I think sometimes is overshadowed by the guitar virtuosity) has the perfect man-on-the-street way of letting us all relate. If you like blues at all, this is an absolute must. Also, if you're not a blues fan, try starting with Riviera Paradise. Several times I have played that cut for people who have said they wouldn't be interested in SRV. I haven't told them what or who it was... just let it play. It's ALWAYS met with ooohs and ahhhs. "Who is that?" "What CD is that on?" They then have to hear more from the creator of that slice of heaven.
Free Music Review: His best album and one of my top 5
Hit: 5 Stars
I knew of Crossfire and Walkin' the Tightrope from the radio, and The House is Rockin' from sports stadiums. But it's the blues and Wall of Denial that blew me away. Buddy Guy's Leave My Girl Alone and Howlin Wolf's Love Me Darlin' (Or is that the real May I Have a Talk With You?) are emotion-tinged rock blues at its best. My only disappointment about these songs was their length. (I envisioned both songs as 9 minute jam sessions, but that would've tired the other bandmates out.) Whereas I liked the original Leave My Girl Alone for Buddy's screaming, Stevie's guitar solo did the trick for me here. As for Wall of Denial, this song transcends substance abuse. Sometimes I get angry at women for not wanting to date me for whatever reason, and I build up my own wall instead of buiilding up a new relationship. While I still struggle in tearing down my wall the way Stevie tore down his in late '86 and early '87, I know that it's going to "tumble down to the ground" eventually. As for the extra tracks, they speak for themselves. I don't have Soul to Soul yet (don't ask me why), so before I bought the remastered In Step, my only way of hearing Life Without You was in the snippet on VH1 Legends where he talked about his troubles. After hearing this version of Life Without You, I stood still for 10 minutes because I was so mesmerized by his rap and the two blistering solos where he hit some incredible high notes that I didn't think he was capable of hitting. The first time I played it at home, I sang the opening lyric differently: "Well hello Stevie, tell me how have you been, we all have missed you and the way you grin..." If any artist dares think about covering Life Without You, I wouuld strongly suggest using this lyric at the start. Rave On Stevie, and I'll see you someday at the real Great Gig in the Sky.Free Music Review: Life begins at 50
Hit: 5 Stars
I first heard about SRV from a friend I was visiting in Austin Texas in 1977; but it wasn't until last year that I took the time to listen to his music, tuning in to a 2 hour special on Sydney's progressive radio station 2JJJ FM. I was totally amazed. I'd always loved the blues, but listening to Stevie I realised he'd taken the music somewhere it was meant to go, but had never been before. Mournful, moving, gutsy, fluid, intricate beyond belief, but every note spot on. And what a range of styles - R&B, rock, rockabilly, jazz, psychedelic - all played better than anyone had ever played them before. Soul max. I would never have believed that any guitarist could master Hendrix, let alone rework him into something even more marvellous. But Stevie could do just that, from Voodoo Chile to Little Wing and on through Third Stone from the Sun. Out of this world, and yet right from the heart of it at the same time. If you like the blues, or any kind of electric guitar, then there is no better place to start than with his last studio album In Step. Just check out his cover of Buddy Guy's Leave My Girl Alone and his own Riviera Paradise for starters. You'll be back for more. Like every fan I ache to think where he would have taken us if still around. But his legacy is incredible, and I know some day some kid is gonna come along and do to Stevie what he did to Jimi and all other guitar kings (Albert, Freddy, BB and so many more). That I should live so long!Free Music Review: One of his two best studio albums
Hit: 5 Stars
This and "Couldn't Stand the Weather" are Stevie Ray Vaughan's best studio albums. This is Vaughan's last "official" album, put out while he was still alive. By now his music had evolved and this is his most mature sounding album. It is very strong in the song writing and music from start to finish. There is a complexity and variety that isn't heard on most of his studio CD's. My only complaint is that the tracks "Tightrope" and "Crossfire" are placed back to back. They are almost the same song. It would have been better to space the two out.
Note that this new release has five extra tracks. I haven't heard the tracks, and haven't seen anyone comment on their value. My guess is that they are nothing special. Most of the tracks are live versions of songs that can be found on other ablums. For the most part, Vaughan wasn't a jammer. One live version of a track sounded pretty much like the next. You can get a live version of "Texas Flood", for instance, on a number of other CD's and there isn't likely to be much difference in each performance.
If you are looking for your first Vaughan CD, you might want to check out the boxset SRV. It is 3 CD's plus a DVD at a very low price. It has almost every song Vaughan ever did, but mostly in live versions. The boxset isn't that attractive if you already own a number of his CD's, but is a great place to start if you don't.
Free Music Review: The music lives on.
Hit: 5 Stars
We all know about the alcoholism and recovery, the young artist maturing and finding his own voice; and, on the eve of the stellar MTV "Unplugged" performance, the tragic helicopter crash.This is a more personal story. It begins on the night of that MTV performance. Me - young nerd with a big red BC Rich strat knockoff - sitting in front of the TV plucking away; the "Crossfire" video, wondering why that kind of sound isn't coming out of my overwound Duncan humbucker. The poncho, reminiscent of Clint's in "Fistful of Dollars" but distinguished by SRV's smile..
Stevie left us and I left my guitar behind to go to a fancy college and a fancier med school and, finally, working in a fancy hospital. Every so often the solo to "Crossfire" - I never learned it properly - would nag at me in my head. Ten years gone.
Until last month I couldn't stand it any more and I blew most of a paycheck on a Fender Custom Shop job with Texas Specials and a set of .010 gauges (hey, I used to play eights - I couldn't ever bend those seventeen gauge monsters Stevie played.)
Once you ever feel that feeling in your heart, it's there to stay.
Rest in peace tonight, Stevie. Because tomorrow I'm gonna be channelling your spirit up outta that grave as I wail away the blues, on my Strat, in my bedroom.
You never really left us, did you?