Customer Reviews

South of I-10

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Get out your road atlas and take a look at Louisiana south of I-10. I-10 runs through the great city of New Orleans and the state capital of Baton Rouge. South of there is the land of Cajun and Creole, a land of swamps, bayous and moss hanging thick from trees, and air that is so heavy with humidity that it can be cut with a knife.

To hear what it sounds like slip Sonny Landreth's disc South of I-10 into your cd player and prepare. Shooting for the Moon blasts out at you with a propulsive beat. This powerful song is just the beginning of the extent of Landreth's ability as a singer, songwriter and guitarist.

Creole Angel jumps out at you with a zydeco beat. Mark Knopfler assists on guitar as Sonny sings:

Bottle rocket combo got a corner on the crowd
Under her old balcony above a bar called
The Blat Cat Prowl
Sets off memories how she laughed every time
I'd break her silence with a piece of my mind

When Native Son begins, you know this is like nothing you have ever heard before. This is rollicking riotous music with a zydeco beat. Native Son is an infectious instrumental which showcases Landreth's unique slide guitar style. You can hear sliding and ringing and when checking the instruments on this song there is only the guitar the bases and the drums. It sounds like so much more.

While there is not a throw-away song on this cd Congo Square is the most commanding. It is a mesmerizing song from the first note. Congo Square takes the listener to the heart of voodoo land. As Landreth says "It might be superstition." who is going to take a chance.

Sonny Landreth is a "musician's musician", a singer/ songwirter/ guitarist who was born in 1951 and has worked professionally since being hired by zydeco bandleader Clifton Chenier in 1970. Landreth has a well established career as a sessions guitarist performing with such diverse performers, as John Hiatt, Mark Knopfler, Kenny Loggins, John Mayall, Junior wells, Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Dolly Parton. As a solo performer he has come into his own and is producing music that defies classification.

As a songwriter Sonny Landreth is serious about developing his art. He notes that his influences are both southern writers and bluesmen. He claims William Faulkner as one of his influences along with noted bluesmen, Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Skip James and Mississippi John Hurt.

Landreth is an incredible talent who produces music like no other artist. South of I-10 is a wonderful example of the kind of his music. Take a listen to it, you'll find yourself longing to take a trip south.

Okay, if you got to this page then you obviously have at least some interest in Sonny Landreth. Here are four easy steps to follow: (1) Ignore the 'Editorial Reviews' drivel about his weaknesses (2) Listen to the sample of "Native Stepson" (3) Listen to the sample of "C'Est Chaud" (4) Quit wasting time, and order this album.

I first heard "South of I-10" in late 1994 (about a month before its January '95 release) when I happened on a pre-release review copy. I had heard of Sonny Landreth a few times before, notably on John Hiatt's "Slow Turning" and Kenny Loggins' "Outside:From the Redwoods". None of that admirable session work prepared me for what I heard on this album. There are plenty of good slide guitarists in the world, and there are lots of good Cajun musicians, but nobody puts those two things together like Sonny Landreth does.

I defy you to get through the first three tracks of this album without becoming a Sonny Landreth fan. The songs are well written, and fire the imagination from the first notes. As a guitarist, Landreth's style is truly unique, and his instrumental breaks overflow with virtuosity and inventiveness. Slide guitar work suddenly gives way to fabulous picking, and then flows seamlessly back into slide. By the time you hear the instrumental "Native Stepson" you'll be convinced that the album just can't get any better. And you'll be wrong.

So go back to the four steps listed above, and get to step four right away. By the time you've heard this album once or twice you'll even be ready for step five: Order Sonny Landreth's newest album, "Levee Town". Then you'll be ready for many long arguments with yourself over which album is better.

You'll want 'em all. "Shootin for the Moon" starts it off with a little vocal assistance from none other than Mark Knopfler. (He sits in with Sonny on Creole Angel...) I just witnessed Sonny perform in Fort Smith, He encored with "Congo Square" and we were screaming "Don't go, Sonny!!! Please don't go!!!" He is even better live (if that is possible) than on the CD. What a band too! EXCELLENT 3-Piece band. He ends the CD with a spiritual beauty of a song "Great Gulf Wind"... Being a Southerner and having lived in South Louisiana, I can identify with many of the lyrics. If you haven't... his music will take you there. Simply AWESOME 10+++++++!!!!!

The Music Gods have been very generous in sending us Sonny Landreth. This is the album that really puts Sonny on the map. Recorded back in 1995, guests such as Mark Knopfler (he shares lead guitar duties with Sonny on the masterpiece "Congo Square") appear throughout the album. If you love slide guitar, your collection is not complete if don't have Sonny's work. This album is an excellent place to start your collection, because once you hear Sonny, you are going to want to get everything he's ever done.
//Alaska Scott

An amazing album. Sonny writes deeply personal songs about growing up in Southern Louisiana. His guitar playing is brilliant and his songs have the amazing ability to transport you to the dancehalls and bayous of his home state. The ultimate album from the King of Slideco.

This man has Heart and Soul. I have been a musician for over 30 years and I have NEVER heard Slide Guitar like he plays. I discovered this Album from a promo CD in 1995 while working as manager of a record store. Now, I love my hard rock and I love my Beatles but when I heard the first opening chords of the CD I knew I was hearing something special. As I listened to the whole thing I have to say a tear came to my eye hearing the chord progressions and the sound of his Guitar and Voice. Don't worry about comparing one of his Albums to another...This Album stands alone.

Okay, let's start with the premise that there is no bad Sonny Landreth music. This guy has been honing his art since he was about 12, and he only gets better with time, so you will not be wasting your money if you buy this CD by any means. That said, however, this one isn't going down as my all-time favorite of Sonny's records. The songsmithing is interesting, but not as well-honed as it becomes by "The Road We're On." The guitar is clean and beautiful, but perhaps not as richly plentiful as it is on later efforts. It's really fun to hear the early studio version of "Congo Square," and there are some cool tunes on here you won't find anywhere else, including the title track, but if you are just getting into Sonny Landreth, and want to be purely blown away by his genius, start with "Grant Street," then work your way back to this one.

I LOVE this CD. I listen to it at least once a week (usually more). Everytime I hear it, I just want to dance and laugh. What more can you ask of good music??? Get it, put it in the CD player and see if you hear the "weaknesses" that the other "reviewers" find.

I've owned the CD since 1996. This CD never grows old. I still enjoy pulling it out and giving it listen. I think it captures the feel and diversity of Louisiana/New Orleans music. The CD always manages to make me feel good after a listen. What more can you say about a CD. I hope Sonny puts something new out soon.

With this release Sonny LANDRETH has reached his musical zenith. Listening to this cd, one can sense the geography, smells, and zest for life evident in our great southeast. The music stands on it's own merit and the lyrics flow like prose poems. For both the un-initiated or the long-time fan this cd offers either the joy of discovery or the warmth of a mature relationship. As an aside, Sonny is even more joyful in a live setting. I was fortunate to see Sonny open for the great Buddy Guy and when Sonny's too-short set was complete the packed house initially sat in awed silence, then burst into prolonged applause that even the most "toured" artist would have appreciated. So give South of I-10 a chance, give it a listen, and be prepared to have your musical life changed forever. Thanks for the space, DARRYL W. SIEGERS