Big Ears Posted July 31, 2005 Share Posted July 31, 2005 If for some reason you have not heard of Mr. Trout, it's time to take notice. This DVD is of a concert shot in Amsterdam back in '03 for his live album release "Relentless." It is a live album with all new material and a few covers thrown in. They said the studio just could not capture the raw emotion he puts out live. And boy does he put it out!! From the first few notes of the opener "Dust My Broom", you realize this is not your ordinary strat wielding bluesman. And to think he is just getting warmed up!! Walter has a command of his guitar and the blues that few before or after will equal.(BOLD, I KNOW) Being a player myself, I sat with my mouth wide open in amazement, as I watched this DVD for the frist time. The volume swells, natural and pinch harmonics, whole neck acending/decending runs; it's all there in abundance, with his head laid back and eyes closed. The audio is in 5.1 and although they put some of the whole mix in the surrounds, the overall sound is quite good. There are plenty of neck close ups and extras such as interviews with Walter talking about his rig and set up. His original songs are all very good and well structured. The A minor shuffle "Reason I'm Gone" stands out as my personal favorite. That could change as I get more into the 165 minutes of footage. On the encore, "Serves Me Right to Suffer", he really lets it all hang out. Comparisons could be made to SRV, Buddy Guy guitar chops, with a ruff voice that can sound sweet like Greg Allman or nasty like Joe Cocker. Keep in mind that Walter has been around a long time, touring with bands since '69 and doing 4-5 year stints with John Mayhall's Bluesbreakers and Canned Heat. He's been on his own for the last 14 years and has developed a cult like following both in the US and Europe, where he tours extensively. With chops like his, people have to take notice. I've been building my concert DVD collection for a while now(I have about 30) and this is the first one that has excited me enough to write about. Definitley will be looking to catch his show when he comes through town again. For those interested, here is a link to his website: http://www.waltertrout.com Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flason Posted August 11, 2005 Share Posted August 11, 2005 Gotta agree with this one. Bought the DVD and it cranks from beginning to end. I saw him a few years ago at the Tampa Bay Blues Fest and have all but burnt out the CD that was recorded there. Thanks for the tip on this new release. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.