The irony of 1989's IN STEP lay in the fact that after rebounding from a terrible drug problem, Stevie Ray Vaughan had his new lease on life cut short by a helicopter crash the following year. The record itself features some of Vaughan's most inspired playing and Double Trouble has rarely sounded better. Songs such as "Crossfire," "Wall Of Denial" and "Tightrope" alluded to Vaughan's personal problems with just the right amount of optimism and scathing guitar thrown in for good measure. Blues influences abound whether it's a rollicking cover of Willie Dixon's "Let Me Love You Baby," a smoldering reading of Buddy Guy's "Leave My Girl Alone" or an upbeat take on Howlin' Wolf's "Love Me Darlin'."
For all his skill as an interpreter of other people's songs, Stevie Ray Vaughan's originals are just as solid. Of particular note here are the instrumentals "Travis Walk" and "Riviera Paradise." Paced by Chris Layton's militaristic time-keeping, the former finds Vaughan trading solos with Reese Wynan's pounding piano. The latter is a number that dates back to 1980 and shimmers with the same kind of gentle aura found in some of Carlos Santana's more introspective playing.
This 1999 reissue contains five bonus tracks not on the original release. Recorded at Kiva Studios, Memphis, Tennessee; Sound Castle and Summa Studios, Los Angeles, California. Live tracks recorded in Denver, Colorado on November 29, 1989. Originally released on Epic (45024). Includes liner notes by Bill Milkowski. Digitally remastered by Vic Anesini (Sony Music Studios, New York, New York).
- Format: Vinyl
- Genre: Rock, Blues
- Remember, for our lowest prices, always order directly from Joco Records!
Track Listing:
A1 The House Is RockinA2 Crossfire
A3 Tightrope
A4 Let Me Love You Baby
A5 Leave My Girl Alone
A6 Travis Walk
B1 Wall Of Denial
B2 Scratch-N-Sniff
B3 Love Me Darlin
B4 Riviera Paradise
