Hot Wires

Master guitarist Roy Buchanan elevates his already astronomical musical standard on his third Alligator release, HOT WIRES. With his searing tone, fluid runs, screeching harmonics, dynamics experiments, and grab bag of scratches, wails, and noodles, Buchanan's Fender often sounds less like a guitar than a channel for highly articulate alien intelligence. As usual, Roy has backed himself with some of the finest blues and rock studio musicians--including guitarist Donald Kinsey (of the Kinsey Report) and vocalists Johnny Sayles ("That Did It") and Kanika Kress (on Otis Redding's "These Arms of Mine"). Though the band provides thunderous, spot-on backing on conventional blues workouts ("Ain't No Business") and rave-up instrumentals ("Country Boogie") alike, the spotlight is on Buch throughout, particularly on his own compositions, the acid surf "High Wire" and the pummeling "Flash Chordin'." HOT WIRES is yet another testament to the skills of this dazzling, unfairly under-recognized musician.