Search - Buddy Guy :: Damn Right, I've Got the Blues

Buyer beware: No Beck fills on Mustang Sally

Let S Listen | TN | 06/23/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Great to have this CD in continued print, with two bonus tracks no less. I bought this album back in 1991 when it came out, after seeing the Mustang Sally video on MTV with great guitar fills by Jeff Beck in counterpoint with Buddy's vocals. As another reviewer also pointed out, however, these fills are entirely missing from the version on this CD, making this strangely empty and lacking the excitement of the original! It's a terrible mistake. The liner notes, in fact, mention Beck's contributions and he remains listed in the song-by-song personnel. But he's not there, at least on my copy.



So what to do if you're interested in this disc and wondering whether to get the original version or the expanded? Beck or two extra songs? I bought this newer version to replace the older one, but now will stick with the original. The added songs are OK, but do not have the urgency implied by the album's title. And with Sally having lost her "Mustang" on this new CD, sounding like she's getting around in mom's minivan, an essential part of that fire has been lost.



One-to-one comparisons between other songs reveal that the newer CD has slightly louder volume, but no further enhancements. Although I did not find other differences like the one on Mustang Sally, I can't escape the notion that the earlier CD, in fact, sounds fierier than this newer issue, especially with the volume cranked up. It doesn't happen often, but in this case it seems that you're better off with a good used copy of the older CD than the newer issue on this one."

Pure energy

David Ruggles | sacramento Ca | 04/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love this CD. They don't even need to list the guest artists. Make no mistake, this is buddy's CD. From the first second of the first song you realize this is something special. I have never heard better vocals from Buddy, so powerful, so deep. He truely captures the blues and then he blows it away. The guitar work is amazing, I'm a SRV fanatic, and this is as close to the raw power and intensity of any SRV recording."

Buddy at his most crowd pleasing and accessible

Guitar Man | Electric Ladyland | 03/25/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the Buddy Guy album that made everybody stand up and take notice. Many of us long-time blues fans already knew what a great talent Buddy was, but for the rock and roll crowd, this was a breaktrhough.



I still consider this one of my favorite Buddy Guy albums, and it gets a lot of play around my house. The title track is classic Buddy, and the other standouts here are include a great cover of John Hiatt's "Where is the next one coming from", Willie Dixon's "Let Me Love You Baby", and the touching instrumental tribute to the fallen bluesman Stevie Ray Vaughan "Remembering Stevie". The bonus tracks "Doin' what I like best" and "Trouble don't last" are excellent additions to an already stellar track list.



This is a disc that was very deserving of the grammy for best blues album that it received. It's Buddy at his best, and this expanded version is the one to own.

"