The Road We're On

Sonny Landreth

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 28, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sugarhill
• ASIN: B00007JGWD
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #83,641 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Indie Music > Blues > Electric Blues Guitar

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Sonny Landreth's 10-year career as a leader has always seemed tenuous, because he's a one-dimensional singer and only an adequate songwriter. But these 12 numbers run deeper than his previous recordings. Like much of his catalog, they straddle the worlds of blues, Cajun and zydeco, and New Orleans party music, but the blues dominates. And that gives the conflagrant Mississippi-born and Louisiana-raised slide guitarist plenty of fuel. So he burns liberally at every turn, from the acoustic resonator guitar that opens and closes the disc to the percolating funk of "Hell at Home" and the Allmans-like, riff-driven intensity of "Fallin' for You." "A World Away" is this album's tour de force, with Landreth summoning soul from the seldom-used soft side of his voice and slow, moaning guitar lines, whose steel-on-steel cries echo the resigned heartbreak of the lyrics. The CD's sterling production puts Landreth's guitar front and center, which reaffirms the former John Hiatt and Clifton Chenier sideman's instrumental mastery. --Ted Drozdowski

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a surprise!, March 11, 2003

By	M. Bernocchi "mbernocchi" (Old Windsor, Berkshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have always recognised that Sonny Landreth is one of the best slide guitarists around. However I have never been a "great" fan of him because I am not too much in "tune" with zydeco or cajun kind of music. I like it but it is not my passion, I prefer to listening to other genders, and the one that I like the best is the "blues". I bought his new CD because I read the above editorial review and apparently it would have been more focused on the "blues" rather than on other stiles. In his previous album "Levee Town" I found a song that from my point of view, or for my taste if you prefer, by it self worth the price of the entire CD: "Broken Hearted Road" a very solid traditional blues played with intensity and passion. As soon as I received the delivery from Amazon I put this record in my CD player with a lot of hope but also with a touch of scepticism. What a surprise! From start to finish this is a great blues collection! Other influences are still present of course, however blues rules this time. The opening track "True Blue" is a masterpiece and it gives you an immediate flavour of what is about to follow. Not bad songs on this CD, no a single one. Sonny shows his ability in playing slide but also "traditional" stile guitar as in the blues-rock oriented title track. Excellent guitar work throughout the entire album, excellent singing, excellent band, excellent mix and production. I can't possibly find a weakness on this CD. I just love it from start to finish. As far as I am aware this is one of the best blues release of at least the last 12 months (and maybe more). I think that we already have, so early in the year, a very serious contender for the "best traditional blues album" award when time will come. I hope that Sonny Landreth will continue following the "road he's on" and that with his next one he will be digging even deeper into the "Blues". I can't rate this CD less than five stars!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sonny Landreth - In the spotlight at last, May 24, 2003

By A Customer

Sonny Landreth's new CD, "The Road We're On" is a tour de force. Here is your opportunity to hear a musical original at the peak of his power. Widely recognized as the greatest slide guitarist on the planet he is that and so much more. With guitar playing as sensual as Jimi Hendrix and singing as evocative as Jim Morrison what more could you ask for? Well, in addition you get fantastic and unique songwriting that accentuates his amazing guitar skills. From the wry humor of "Gemini Blues", which Sonny describes as a "Menage a Trois between two people", to the pure romance of "Falling for You" this is a CD to love. Whether you are looking for a slide guitar hero or a crooner to make you swoon you will find it here.

The first time I heard Sonny Landreth play, which was just a year ago, I opened my mouth and couldn't close it until the set was finished. I literally did not believe what I heard. It felt like I was hearing Bach play the harpsicord or Louis Armstrong the trumpet. While Landreth's influences are many his sound is entirely unique. Why wait until until he has been dead 100 years? Support this musical genius now.

A self confessed guitar geek, Sonny presses, pushes, pulls and slaps guitar strings in ways that no one else has ever figured out. He has earned the respect of musicians as diverse as Mark Knopfler and Jimmy Buffett.

Sonny's new CD "The Road We're On" has a wonderful familiar nostalgic feel to it while at the same time being completely original. This sound is created with, among other things, the use of vintage guitars and microphones to create a kind of echoing fifties Chuck Berry mood. Landreth can get a range of sounds from an electric guitar that you have never heard before, my favorite being that of a mandolin on the eery, otherworldly "World Away". Nobody does spooky nighttime in the Louisiana swamp better than Sonny Landreth.

After too many years as a sideman it is long past time for Sonny to step into the spotlight. He is what we all might wish to be, a legend in his own time.

If you never buy another CD buy this one. And if you have the opportunity to hear him play in some small local venue do not miss it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Going Pecan, January 28, 2003

By	Richard A. DiDio (Jenkintown, PA USA) - See all my reviews

I was lucky to see Sonny at a small club in Philly last year. This was just before he headed into the studio to record The Road We're On, so the band played the entire CD as a final warm up before recording.

And boy, was it more than warm! EVERY song was high-energy/high volume hard-edged, driving blues/zydeco, with Sonny's guitar much more in front than has been the case on his studio CD's. Each song included an extended solo rather than just ornamental work, so I was really looking forward to the release of the CD.

And it has not disappointed. The Road We're On does a great job of capturing that energy and drive of the live show. Blast the title track and you'll experience being blown off the dance floor to Dave Ranson's power bass and Brian Burch's explosive drumming. And, of course, Sonny wailing with much more (controlled) volume than you've heard before.

You won't find any tunes on the CD with the type of lushness of some of the songs on Levee Town or South of I-10. The production shoots for immediacy, in your face, almost power trio stuff. Much of it sounds like single take, or with minimum overdubs.

I felt like I was back at that club in Philly. Or, from one of the zydeco stompers, Gone Pecan:

"So don't come knockin'
we ain't home
me and mine
are gone pecan"