Couldn't Stand the Weather (Legacy Edition)

iTunes Review

At this point in time, with Stevie Ray’s legacy assured, it’s always a welcome moment when additional material is brought together in a collection. Couldn’t Stand The Weather, Legacy Edition includes tracks from the Japanese edition, along with b-sides and a live concert from 1984 at the Spectrum in Montreal. Upon the album’s initial release, it made great inroads on FM radio with Vaughan’s note-perfect rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child (Slight Return).” But the album was a showcase for the many things Vaughan could do. “Stang’s Swang” juts towards jazz, while “Cold Shot” brings out the Big Band sound, with the keyboards and guitars laying back in a solid groove. “Scuttle Buttin” keeps his fingers plenty busy. The live material allows Vaughan to extend his reach. “Voodoo Child” gets an additional boost from the adrenalin of the crowd. “Texas Flood,” the title track from the debut album, has never sounded more in and out of control, while “Lenny,” named for his wife Lenora and his guitar, also from the debut, slowly sways for 11 minutes of electric guitar heaven.