Customer Reviews

Blues at Sunrise

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The first impression when deciding whether to by this CD or not is "I have all of these tracks already, why should I support Sony/Epic in making more money on previously released material". Once you get by that and you realize that you want all the SRV material available simply for the fact of supporting SRV & DT it makes buying it my easier. Then when you listen to it especially the track Tin Pan Alley with Johnny Copeland and the alternate take of The Sky Is Crying from the album of the same name. You realize the 15-20 bucks you spent was well worth it. Stevie is just a damn good guitar player and just as awsome of a singer. This often gets overshadowed by his playing but on these slow blues tunes you can just hear the emotion coming from his voice. Go get it and add it to your collection.

Some live albums make it, some don't...and then there are the very few that really stand out. Blues at Sunrise "stands out" with the best. I was a SRV fan from the first time I heard Stevie's explosively raw blues guitar work on the title track to "Texas Flood," and Blues at Sunrise is a collection of SRV's best slow blues guitar work. The first cut, "Ain't Gone 'N' Give Up On Love," a SRV composition, sets the tone for this virtuoso journey through time to some dimly lit, smoke-filled, 2 a.m. whiskey bar in Austin, Tx., and, unlike some albums, this one builds on tension and talent right to the end. Here is a testimony to SRV's head on approach to the blues: he attacks some cuts relentlessly (Leave My Girl Alone) while exhibiting a seasoned subtle touch on others (Tin Pan Alley). Every cut is a bona fide winner. The title track, featuring legendary blues man Albert King, will blow you away - it brings back memories of venues such as the Capital Theater and the Fillmores, where live jamming was refined to an artform that never lost its edge. This album is a must for anyone who likes good, slow, live blues! An all around "five star" album.

Hard core SRV fans already own the few rare tracks on this disc, so you don't need it unless you are like me and need to own every release. For new fans this is an excellent first buy that highlights SRV at his best --slow burn blues. This is a fine compilation of one of the greatest guitar player/vocalists in modern blues. I am happy that Sony/Epic and Jimmie are finally releasing cuts only formerly available on boots, but I knocked off a star for the studio material duplication (the studio material has now been re-released four times in the last year alone in one form or another). More rare material could have been included.

Blues, rock, and jazz have seen their share of guitar legends but none could ever come close to Stevie Ray Vaughan. This CD is a compilation of slow blues numbers that were recorded during his accomplished yet all to brief career. Most of the tracks are previously released but there are some unreleased tracks as well. A live performance of "Tin Pan Alley" with Johnny Copeland is very good as is an unreleased take of "The Sky is Crying" which was recorded during the "Couldn't Stand the Weather" sessions. The finest moments on this disc are those that make up the live version of "Texas Flood" which is from the El Macombo concert (which is available on video and DVD). During this performance he plays what is easily his best and most unbelievable solo. The title track with Albert King is near perfection despite some unnecessary chatter from King. The excellent guitar work from both musicians makes up for it. Words cannot express how great the music of Stevie Ray Vaughan is. This CD serves as a welcome addition to the collection of his fans and also a wonderful introduction to those who have yet to experience this blues legend.

I've been looking for a solid Stevie blues compilation and here it is. From unrealeased tracks to live performances, you get a great set of Stevie's best blues. Only 10 tracks, but you get lengthy jams that just make you cry. If you have Jimi Hendrix Blues and Eric Clapton's From the Cradle, this is a must for your collection.

Not only do you get to hear the legendary guitar playing, but also you hear Stevie howl and wail on the mike. He really shows off his singing prowess in this CD much more than the others proving he's much more than a great guitarist. Unlike most CD's out, there is not one weak track here.

If you're looking for great blues guitar/singing, you have to pick this CD up.

This was the SRV album I was waiting for, although I didn't realize I was missing it until I bought it and listened! While I enjoy Stevie's hard-rockin' hits, "Blues at Sunrise" is a powerful reminder of his roots -- the music he first learned to love when he was a little kid imitating his big brother Jimmy on cheap guitars at home in Oak Cliff, Texas. These aren't billboard top-forty hits; the songs on this CD are like a history of the blues. When I first heard his husky tremolo tenor opening the first song, "Ain't Gone 'n' Give Up on Love," chills went up my spine. It's easy to forget how versatile his voice was, since his guitar overshadowed just about everything else within earshot. So many favorites: the wailing macho plaint of "Leave My Girl Alone," that funky Texas wail on "The 'Thaaaaaanngs' [sic] That I Used To Do", the virtuoso guitar imitations of big brother Jimmy Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, and Albert King himself in the live duet of the title song with King (so on-target you can hear Albert laughing with pure delight in the background) ... the jazzy lilt of "Chitlins Con Carne". I have the El Mocambo videotape, and it is sooo nice to hear Stevie's unbelievable solo on "Texas Flood" in true stereo on this CD. OK. You get the picture. Stevie was and is the greatest blues guitarist of the 20th century (and yes, I love BB, Buddy, Luther, and all the rest), and this CD is pure honey to his fans who love to hear him play those blues. RIP, Stevie; you were one of a kind. Thank god we have your music.

Having been a fan of Stevie Ray ever since I first saw him live on German television ages ago, I was quite anxious to check out his 'new' album when it came out last week. In a nutshell - if you're a die-hard SRV fan, this album is a must, even though you probably have got most of the tracks already. Especially the title song, a live recording featuring the indestructable Albert King, yet again displays Stevie Ray's outstanding workmanship and may soothe your anger about the fact that they could easily have included some more 'new' material such as alternate or live versions or some more outtakes. All other prospective buyers are well advised: make sure you first get the original stuff released during his lifetime plus the Carnegie Hall live recording before you dare explore the depths of Stevie Ray's Texas blues any further !

If you are a blues fan, you should make "Blues at Sunrise" a part of your collection, without question. If you're not a blues fan but are interested in getting into the genre, make this album one of your first purchases. I had never owned a blues album before and then one day I saw this one and thought "I heard this SRV guy is incredible, I think I'll check it out." Since that day, I've been wearing the CD out (if and when it starts skipping, I'm definitely buying a new copy). I went from someone who had a vague interest in the blues to an all-out diehard blues fanatic. Be forever transformed and buy "Blues At Sunrise." You won't be disappointed.

I have all of SRV's music and I love it all,The man can flat play! He was just coming into his own at the time of his death,the In Step cd is some of his best work! But Blues at Sunrise is just Fantastic! Tin Pan Alley Is just GREAT! This cd is great from top to bottom IT'S A MUST FOR ANY SRV FAN! DT is coming out with an album I'll be interrested in hearing what thats going to be like without stevie.I hope this helps you buy this GREAT CD. Thanks for reading! Please enjoy the SRV collection!

As always, Stevie Ray Vaughan gets you right where you live and breath. His unbelievable guitar licks will enter your head and wrap themselves around your heart. Every note just feels RIGHT. But there's more. On this album, his smokey voice, which is suited to the slower and darker songs, will eat away at all of your defences until you feel the music with your soul. There was so much more to this late musician than just another great guitar player. Somewhere along the line he became a great storyteller. His tale is the Blues. Thank God for this new chapter.