Customer Reviews

Outward Bound

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Does Sonny Landreth realize just how good he is!? There are a lot of fine guitarists out there but he's easily as good as the best and a whole lot more subtle. Guitarists are usually always comin' at ya and throwing it all in your face. Landreth sneaks a lot by you if you're not paying close attention. It might take more than one listening to realize how smooth he actually is. He's also a good writer which is much rarer in guitarists than most might believe. His songs are genuinely good natured. He has the uncanny ability to write sweet without your needing an insulin shot to listen to it. And as amazing a slide player as he is, one only need listen to his solo work at the end of "When You're Away" to note that his non-slide isn't too shabby either. For anyone who has an appreciation for fine guitar playing and good Louisianna style song writing, this CD will float to the top of your listening pile.

Starting with "Soldier of Fortune", Sonny takes you on a memorable ride with his unique style of playing slide guitar. The title track "Outward Bound" has lyrics that will give you some food for thought. HE IS AWESOME live!!! Great lyrics and music bound together by his OWN style of playing slide.

I just wanted to amend my review, since last year.

This is a good CD. It may not be as good as the others, but I still listen to it. I don't find it boring at all. Soldier of Fortune starts this CD off just right. It's a kicking tune. I love "New Landlord" talking about people who throw it all away by betting on a whim. But in a comical way.

Planet Cannonball, has great lyrics too as well as Bad Weather and Outward Bound.

If you are looking for traditional Slide, then you may be disappointed. (Hell, not everyone likes Hendrix, ya know?) If you want to hear something that has not ever been done before, then you'll like him. Eric Clapton said it best about Sonny Landreth: ..."he may be one of the most underappreciated guitar players of our time..." Kudos to Eric.

But if you're looking for your first Sonny Landreth purchase, I'd highly recommend Levee Town, South of I-10 and The Road We're On.

Can't wait to see Sonny again. I am absolutely convinced he is not of this world. :)

I bought this CD years ago, too, and it turns out that I listen to it all the time! Sonny's not the world's best singer, but he's really pretty good, and each tune touches me at different times. I'm in a band and want to get my mates to do "Bad Weather" or "Speak of the Devil." Sonny's definitely the quintessential sideman, but he can also hold his own as a leader. I'd go see him anytime!

Outstanding album...I have been playing slide guitar for years and studying many of the greatest slide masters of all time. In my opinion, when discussing the greats like Elmore James, Robert Johnson, Ry Cooder and the like, you won't be able to have a complete conversation without mentioning Sonny's name as well. This album is for those who enjoy a little "attitude" with their slide music.

I bought this CD years and years ago, and it has amazing staying power. The songs are fantastic (check out "Mister Meet Your New Landlord"), and the guitar playing is supernatural. There ARE lots of brilliant slide guitar players out there, but what sets Sonny Landreth apart is the combination of his great songwriting and killer chops. He'll never be a great singer, but neither will Eric Clapton. It's all about the songs, and that's enough.

The two star rating is not for the artist or the music. I would give Sonny a 4.5 to 5.0 star rating for all of his work. But amazon keeps putting out burned copies of music with booklets void of information important to knowing who the artist is,recording info. Look for the original release you won't regret it.

This cd is what all good musicians hope to do,,,put out a great cd full of great songs, and play all the chops as well...This guy has so much heart into his songs it flows out and grabs you. Awesome player,,great cajun feel,,super vocals,,what else can you want......

As mentioned above "modern masters who've taken it to new heights (Duane Allman, Lowell George and Ry Cooder)" Sonny is up there with these guys. I think of his feel and tone as the jeff beck of the bottleneck, the satriani of slide. I like loud expressive bluse and this man makes me shiver.

If you are new to Sonny Landreth, this might be the best one to start with. Bad Weather, Back To Bayou Teche are fantastic. Sacred Ground, New Landlord, Speak of the Devil, Common Law Love and Outward Bound are very good. One of the best guitar players you will ever find.

By the early 90's Landreth had begun to carve out a career as a solo artist. He still was often a much sought after sideman for other musicians, but with "Outward Bound" he proved that he could write and produce some quality music of his own. This is not my favorite Landreth Cd, but there are some great tunes on it. Landreth moves away from his Zydeco inflected roots, but still manages to keep a strong Louisiana Cajun influence throughout much of this album. There is more straight forward rock n roll on this record, and less blues, but that is not necessarily a bad thing since Landreth does both styles so well. Landreth does not have the greatest voice in the world, but for me it works well on the material. Some of my favorite songs include, "Soldier Of Fortune", "Back To Bayou Teche", Sacred Ground", "New Landlord", "Planet Cannonball", the country tinged "Common Law Love" and the title track "Outward Bound". The lyrics on all of these are good and of course Landreth's patented slide guitar technique shines throughout. Overall this was a very strong album from a guy who seems to be often overlooked.