SONNY LANDRETH: Blacktop Run (BLUES): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

It's a fact, Sonny Landreth has changed dimension since his arrival at Provogue. The man whom Eric Clapton does not hesitate to present as one of the most unfairly underestimated guitarists seemed destined for an honest but discreet career with already 15 solo albums and two live albums behind him. And then "Bound By The Blues" (2015) arrived, and with it the recognition for the master of Cajun blues. After the transformation of this essay by the superb "Recorded Live In Lafayette" (2017), it was time to definitively put the boot in a new studio album entitled "Blacktop Run".

The proximity of the covers between this new opus and "Bound By The Blues" could lead us to fear a risk-taking reduced to its simplest expression. However, it's not a question of resting on one's laurels, but rather of confirming the dazzling talent of a particularly endearing artist. While he had taken advantage of his previous live album to rehabilitate "Elemental Journey", Sonny Landreth plays here on the alternation between sung tracks and instrumental pieces that recall the approach of the 2012 album. The wager was a great success because it adds to the variety of the opus and reinforces its dynamism, which is no small thing to say because the eponymous track captivates the listener from the start so that he can only escape after a delicate and melancholic 'Something Grand' which closes the whole with stars in its eyes.

In 35 minutes, the mass is said and the journey is blindingly rich: between the unstoppable hymn to the road ('Blacktop Run'), a journey to the heart of the bayou ('Mule' and his complicity between Sonny's guitar and Steve Conn's accordion), landscapes troubled by mists of heat ('Somebody Gotta Make A Move') or a tribute to the defenders of the environment ('The Wilds Of Wonder'), there is something here to delight your auditory pavilions and stimulate your imagination. The King of Zydeco and his band of devotees draw both fiery tracks with a twirling groove ('Groovy Goddes') and vaporous songs with rich textures ('Many World'). Each track is a gem that enriches a kaleidoscopic work as brilliant as its author is discreet and modest, letting his guitar shine for him.

Once again, the resident of Breaux Bridge (Louisiana) achieves a flawless performance and offers a varied and captivating work. "Blacktop Run" reinforces Sonny Landreth's status as a master of Cajun blues and a Louisiana icon. This opus will accompany your trips on the highways of the south of the United States as well as allowing you to escape from your everyday life to dream of changing and bewitching landscapes. - Official website

SONNY LANDRETH

BLACKTOP RUN

MASCOT LABEL GROUP

BLUES