Buddy Guy - Skin Deep
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Music Reviews of Skin Deep
Music Review: Buddy Sounds Vibrant and Refreshed
Rating: 4 Stars
In my opinion, Buddy's last Silvertone release, "Bring 'em In," suffered from guest stars that overshadowed the affair, making Buddy sound like second fiddle on his own record. While there's still guest stars aplenty on "Skin Deep," Buddy sounds a lot more in control of his own rodeo, and the guest stars definitely sound like they are here to support Buddy, and not the other way around.
Sonically, "Skin Deep" does indeed have a clean and mondern sound, which may disappoint some looking for a down 'n' dirty blues album. Buddy's guitar is still dirty and gritty, though, and it's pushed to the forefront in all its nasty glory.
This album is being hyped as Buddy's first release with all-orignal tunes. That being said, there are a few throwaway songs that don't bring much depth to the proceedings ("Hammer and a Nail," "Smell the Funk"), but there was bound to be a little filler. Buddy does deliver the goods on every tune, however. He even delivers on the title tune, which can only be considered adult contemporary schmaltz. It's a hammy anti-racism tune, but Buddy delivers the lines with conviction and turns in a fine performance.
At 72, people might be expecting Buddy to have lost a step or two, but his guitar is still capable of peeling paint off of the walls, and his terrific singing voice has barely aged a day. In fact, Buddy sounds as energized and vibrant as I've heard him in some time. He sang "Done Got Old" several years ago, but now, he seems more content to throw away his Geritol, crank his amp to 10, and let the good times roll.
The songs themselves are mostly strong, with the occasional filler tune, like I already mentioned. This isn't exactly the "Buddy returning to his roots" record that has been promised before, but there is some straight-ahead blues to be found here, such as on "Lyin' Like a Dog," "Out in the Woods," (complete with tasty acoustic slide guitar) and "Who's Gonna Fill Those Shoes." The rest of the tunes have soul, R&B and rock elements to them, but not in such heavy doses that you'll ever forget you're listening to a Buddy Guy album.
All in all, "Skin Deep" is a really fun listen. Buddy's singing and playing are in fine form, and he delivers great performances throughout. While some of the tunes certainly won't stand up to his legendary back catalog, Buddy just sounds like he's having too darn much fun for me to give this album a lower rating.
Music Review: When Will The Real Buddy Guy Be Allowed To Breathe?!?
Rating: 2 Stars
Well, I waited three years to hear the album that was supposedly going to let Buddy just be Buddy, and play his heart out. Unfortunately, this album is much like his last one, meaning there are three or four excellent electric Blues songs, and a bunch of Blues-Rock and pop music that features duets with various singers. Personally, I don't like anything Eric Clapton has recorded since 1992 or 1994, and I really didn't want to hear him on this album. The stand-out tracks on this brand new disc are "Lyin' Like A Dog", which is one of the best songs Buddy has ever recorded (!), "Out In The Woods" with Robert Randolph, and the closer, "I Found Happiness". It's such a shame that Buddy's record company won't let him just be himself. He promised three years ago, after the release of "Bring 'Em In", that his next album would be pure Buddy Guy. Let's face it: the man is over seventy years old, and while he seems to be in great health, none of us know if we'll make it to seventy-five. I really hope that, on his next album, he's allowed to just be himself, with his regular band. "Stone Crazy" is one of the most manic, frantic, excellent, wild, electric Blues guitar albums in history, and it was done on a shoe string budget and has crappy liner notes, but so what? It's a fantastic album! I suppose Buddy has few options in terms of record companies, as most Blues today has been Fat Possum-ized, and I don't mean that most Blues today sounds like the Callicott, McDowell, and Furry Lewis Fat Possum releases! I wish to God that's what I meant, though. My wish is for Buddy Guy to produce an album of all original material that showcases his greatness. This album just offers us a glimpse of his greatness. Dick Waterman says in "Between Midnight And Day" that Buddy is the greatest electric Blues guitar player in history, and he desperately regrets suggesting to Buddy to play a little Cream and Hendrix at his shows, in order to show people that he's capable of playing that type of music. Will somebody please give us the real Buddy Guy?Music Review: Finally!
Rating: 4 Stars
To me, this is Buddy Guy's best studio album since "Slippin' In" 15 years ago, and certainly his most genuine blues record since then. No watered-down soul, Bob Dylan-covers or misguided pop here, just a slew of tough blues tunes, and original ones at that! And if the production is a bit too slick at times, Guy's rough, fiery lead guitar more than holds its own against the backdrop of mellow organ and the occational small, soulful horn ensemble.
A few guest stars pop up, but the show belongs to Buddy Guy himself all the way. He duets with Susan Tedeschi on "Too Many Tears", and relinquishes the position of lead guitarist to her husband Derek Trucks, and neither manage to come anywhere near to stealing the spotlight way from Guy. I would have preferred him to just sing and play himself, but other than that, there's really not much to nag about. Listen to Guy's slowly smouldering lead guitar on "Lyin' Like a Dog", or the rollicking, piano-driven 60s throwback "Show Me the Money", and just enjoy the fact that Silvertone finally decided to have George "Buddy" Guy record a real blues album again!
Even at 72, Guy's voice is still powerful, and his playing makes you wonder if he (or his record company) invited Eric Clapton and Derek Trucks simply to make a point.
The band sounds good, even if the production is a little bit too clean at times...bass, second guitar, keyboards (played by Reese Wynans), and former Bo Diddley-drummer Tom Hambridge, with whom Guy has written most of the album's songs, behind the drum kit. And the material is strong. Not uniformly, five-star strong perhaps, but really strong nonetheless.
Highlights include the gritty "That's My Home", featuring Robert Randolph, the swinging "Best Damn Fool", and the aforementioned "Show me the Money". But it's almost all good, really, including the mellow title track, the nostalgic "Who's Gonna Fill Those Shoes", and the sparse, stripped-down "Out in the Woods".
Fans of the REAL Buddy Guy won't be disappointed!
Music Review: "Let me explain this..."
Rating: 5 Stars
The sixth track on this album, "Out In The Woods," begins as a twisted alliance between super-distorted electric guitar and acoustic slide...with Buddy informing us that he has wolf blood in his veins...and it crawls along at a slow, deadly simmer until he proclaims "LET ME EXPLAIN THIS"...
Then it's Buddy in full Kingsnake mode, claiming the throne, smacking down the contenders.
With John Lee and Muddy gone, Buddy is the last of a dying breed. This is raw, brutal, dangerous music. The Silvertone releases, with the possible exception of Heavy Love, have been extremely rewarding. "Skin Deep" is the heaviest album since Sweet Tea, and it can be appreciated on a number of levels. First, there's no shortage of guitar. Second, the vocals are attitude-filled and emotive. Finally, Buddy just HITS it from the first note and doesn't let up. There's no filler, no weak tracks, no throwaways. You get a few changes in tempo for variety but this is the guy who walked out on the Rolling Stones' stage in Shine a Light and reminded them of how it's DONE. As Mick Jagger said, "Buddy Guy."
Music Review: Raw Blues Guitar at Its Finest
Rating: 5 Stars
I have been fascinated with Buddy Guy's no-holds-barred, strangely idiosyncratic, funky string-bending blues guitar style since the first time I heard him on a Chess L.P. record in the 1960s.
There's nothing generic about Buddy's playing, and like Chuck Berry, B.B. King, Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, Carl Perkins and Billy Byrd, Buddy's guitar solos exhibit a personal, trademark sound that is immediately identifiable.
Buddy's guitar sound is like an unleashed wild animal-probing, prowling, and fearless.
And his expressive blues singing is every bit as rawboned and powerful as his guitar playing.
Most of the songs are gritty 12-bar blues numbers, which is Buddy Guy's forte. There is a bit of funk blues and rock blues here, too. A few songs, such as "Out in the Woods," are reminiscent of the exciting postwar Chicago blues of Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, and Elmore James-the musicians who were Buddy Guy's inspiration and teachers.
The crisp, twangy Fender Stratocaster guitar sound is featured throughout the recording. The Strat is a fine guitar for playing blues and is played by numerous blues guitarists including Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robert Cray, and many others.
It is a fine recording and a fine testimony to Buddy Guy's amazing talent and durability.