Sonny Landreth "From the Reach" (Landfall)
While Sonny Landreth's latest release is easily recognized as the
product of a world class guitarist, it's not because he and his
friends (Eric Clapton, Robben Ford, Vince Gill, Eric Johnson, Mark
Knopfler) lay down epic peels of six-string sting. Well, yes, they do
display pyrotechnic skills throughout, but other than a few
instrumental jams, such as Johnson and Landreth's duet "The Milky Way
Home" and the manic solo "Uberesso," the guitar passages are more of a
master class in context than flat-picking exhibitionism. Rather than
making dexterity the focus, their virtuosity is applied in service of
the songs, with Landreth's skills as a songwriter and vocalist helping
to keep the fireworks relevant.
The album opens with one of the year's most potent political
statements, leading with the lyric "Air Force One had a heck of a
view, looking down on the patchwork of the blue tarp blues." The
Louisiana-based Landreth sings with gut-wrenching feeling of the
devastation wrought both by Hurricane Katrina's force and the federal
government's indifference. Mark Knopfler's guitar adds its voice here
to Landreth's slide playing. The nostalgic "When I Still Had You"
sounds as if it were written for Eric Clapton's guitar and backing
vocals, both of which it features. The same can be said for "Way Past
Long," which intertwines Ford and Landreth's vocals and guitars
perfectly. Clapton's axe is given a second platform on "Storm of
Worry," on which he annotates Landreth's vocals with superbly crafted
licks.
The second-line rhythm of "Howlin' Moon" is redolent of New Orleans,
with Dr. John's rolling piano and Steve Conn's organ stabs bringing
the funk to Landreth's buzzing slide guitar, and Zydeco influences
welcome Vince Gill on the electric country "The Goin' On." Throughout
the album Landreth carefully pairs his songs and guests, keeping this
star-studded CD from becoming a series of unconnected guest shots. He
writes of broken relationships, wayward spouses, and inescapable lust,
but also the hope of breaking through to a closed heart, and the
sharing of optimism with a downcast friend. Even the more lived-in
themes are refreshed by Landreth's poetic turns. The entire album
swings with the freedom of a project so well conceived that its
execution is a fait accompli. Perhaps this album will finally bring
Landreth the broader acclaim he's deserved for so long. (c)2008
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