Buddy GuyLiving Proof
This triumphant album opens with the song "74 Years Young." The song begins quietly as Buddy looks back at his life. But when he hits the bridge he lays down a savage guitar solo that: a) owes as much to Link Wray as it does to the blues and b) displays what 74 years young really means. This song is followed by another autobiographical song where he tells the story of his early life in Louisiana where, as a child, he taught himself to play a two-string guitar. Again, a blistering lead is the musical centerpiece. Track three, "On The Road" is a more "conventional" blues work-up, horns and all. Another fantastic track, where, after the fade at the end, one can hear a band-member saying "Yeah" in appreciation. Track four is the duet with B.B. King. It's pure magic. And the coda, where Buddy and B.B. speak to one another, is just about as moving a moment as one can find in recorded music. In the duet with Carlos Santana, Buddy shows he can do Latin rhythms side-by-side with the master. And so it goes for an hour or so, one great track after another.
Frankly, I can find possibly only one track, "Too Soon" that might be just a tad too tame or formulaic. But this is followed by the terrific final fours songs on the album, which include "Let The Door Hit Ya" and "Guess What" (both with Buddy in full sexual swagger). So one possibly formulaic song in an hour's worth of new music is a something I will take any day of the week.
An argument could be mounted that this is Buddy's career defining album. At 74, his skills are still intact and he remains a consummate songwriter, with something new to offer, both in his lyrics and certainly in his music. It is kind of a wonder that people like Buddy, and the lesser know and somewhat older Hubert Sumlin, can still excite you with high level performances.
The production, at least on the vinyl pressing, is outstanding. I don't know if, or how much, compression will appear on the CD, but this is an album that was clearly recorded pretty much live in the studio, with probably few, if any, overdubs; so the sound is organic and real. Consequently, it benefits from being heard in the analog domain of vinyl. Plus, the vinyl may end up being some sort of collector's item as all the music appears on the first three sides leaving the fourth side blank so it can be devoted to a really cool etching in the vinyl of a portion of the guitar on the back of the LP cover. My only complaint about the vinyl release is there are no liner notes to show songwriting credits, song personnel, etc. But, at this price, for a double LP which is a very quiet pressing, this is a very small complaint.
Frankly, I can find possibly only one track, "Too Soon" that might be just a tad too tame or formulaic. But this is followed by the terrific final fours songs on the album, which include "Let The Door Hit Ya" and "Guess What" (both with Buddy in full sexual swagger). So one possibly formulaic song in an hour's worth of new music is a something I will take any day of the week.
An argument could be mounted that this is Buddy's career defining album. At 74, his skills are still intact and he remains a consummate songwriter, with something new to offer, both in his lyrics and certainly in his music. It is kind of a wonder that people like Buddy, and the lesser know and somewhat older Hubert Sumlin, can still excite you with high level performances.
The production, at least on the vinyl pressing, is outstanding. I don't know if, or how much, compression will appear on the CD, but this is an album that was clearly recorded pretty much live in the studio, with probably few, if any, overdubs; so the sound is organic and real. Consequently, it benefits from being heard in the analog domain of vinyl. Plus, the vinyl may end up being some sort of collector's item as all the music appears on the first three sides leaving the fourth side blank so it can be devoted to a really cool etching in the vinyl of a portion of the guitar on the back of the LP cover. My only complaint about the vinyl release is there are no liner notes to show songwriting credits, song personnel, etc. But, at this price, for a double LP which is a very quiet pressing, this is a very small complaint.
Tracks
01. 74 Years Young
02. Thank Me Somebody
03. On The Road
04. Stay Around A Little Longer (Feat. B.B.King)
05. Key Don´t Fit
06. Living Proof
07. Where The Blues Begins (Feat. Carlos Santana)
08. Too Soon
09. Everbody Got To Go
10. Let The Door Knob Hit Ya
11. Gues What
12. Skanky
01. 74 Years Young
02. Thank Me Somebody
03. On The Road
04. Stay Around A Little Longer (Feat. B.B.King)
05. Key Don´t Fit
06. Living Proof
07. Where The Blues Begins (Feat. Carlos Santana)
08. Too Soon
09. Everbody Got To Go
10. Let The Door Knob Hit Ya
11. Gues What
12. Skanky
Lamentablemante la DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act ) de E.U.....me "obligó" a eliminar el Link....una pena!!!!
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