The Best of his Era
Blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughn tears it up in this, his sophomore effort with backing band Double Trouble. From the electrifying opening track "Scuttle Buttin'" to the jazzy "Stang's Swing" Vaughn shows why he was the premiere axman of his era. There may have been guitarists in the past who were more in touch with the raw emotion of the blues, but nobody can match his technique, his precision, and his fire. Other standouts include the title track (with its unusual timings) "Things That I Used to Do" (applying his lightning fingers to a slower blues) and the delicious "Cold Shot". Throughout, Vaughn does a creditable job with the vocals, and his backing band wisely stays out the way. He fails to come up with anything special for his cover of Hendrix' "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)" but then, when has anyone ever managed to improve on Hendrix? A must for aficionados of blues guitar.

Good, but not his best
This has never been one of my favorite releases from Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. It's not bad by any stretch, but it never hooked me that way I would have liked. For example, "Scuttle Buttin'" is a decent opener, and a high energy one at that, but I've never thought it to be quite up to some of their other instrumental pieces. And, while a bit of Jimi Hendrix is always appreciated, his treatment of "Voodoo Chile" doesn't really offer up anything new and, so, is a bit disappointing.

None of these songs are bad. They just don't grab my attention the way SRV did with his debut, Texas Flood, or would again on later albums. There are some very strong points, however, such as the soulful slow blues of "Tin Pan Alley," which really is a top notch track.

This seems like a negative review...but I really like this album! It's just that I have high standards when it comes to SRV, and this one doesn't quite measure up to his best work. But it's still good!

The album sounds great, so it gets high marks for the remaster.

The bonus tracks are always a nice addition, but they just don't make a big impact on this one. "Hide Away" is relatively mild and "Look at Little Sister" doesn't come across as much different than the version on Soul to Soul. Decent additions...but not much that's above and beyond.

one of the best blues albums
one of my friends was trying to get me to buy this cd and I was septical because if you have heard one blues artist you have heard them all right? WRONG! this guys is probubly the best "blues" guitar players I have ever heard. He is nothing like anything you have ever heard. This earns 10 stars even though there is only room for 5. If your into blues music, do your self a favor and pic up this album. it will imediatly become the one you compair all the others to. ENJOY!

Bluesy, Jazzy Vaughan Breaks From the Pack
On Couldn't Stand The Weather, Stevie Ray Vaughan began to separate himself from every other modern bluesman with his distinct playing style.

On this record, you can hear a number of influences both individual and stylistic. The obvious Hendrix influence in a scorching version of "Voodoo Chile," Guitar Slim/Albert King/Albert Collins on "The Things That I Used To Do," and jazzy influenced "Tin Pan Alley" and "Stang's Swang." These, plus "Cold Shot" and the title cut elevated Vaughan to a different level than most of his contemporaries.

This is a fantastic blues/jazz album.

Better than Hendrix!
I defy anyone to tell me SRV does NOT do a better shot at Voodoo Chile!!

The man FOREVER!!