Grant Street
Arts: Sonny Landreth. Sugar Hill.
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The greatest slide guitarist since Duane Allman gives self-indulgence a good name on this terrific live album. Performing for a dance-hall crowd in Louisiana, Landreth is simultaneously tasteful and excessive, crafting extravagant solos with the dynamic range of an orchestra. If the exuberant surge of “Pedal to Metal” bears a superficial resemblance to old-school blues-rock, there’s none of the crude chest-thumping that makes many ’70s bands so embarrassing today. Whether soaring and swooping on the instrumental “Native Stepson” or unleashing a wailing vocal to counterpoint his blazing riffs on “Wind in Denver,” Landreth’s light touch makes the most familiar gestures brand new. Grant Street is your chance to boogie without shame.
