Guitar Slinger

Johnny Winter reconnects with his bluesy muse with a vengeance on 1984's Guitar Slinger. Rather than concede any ground to fad or fashion, he gets back to basics with meaty, rapid-fire fretwork and some of his career's most searing slide playing. Winter’s vocals are full of grit and growl, conjuring images of all-night roadhouse jams and after-hours romance. Hell-raising tracks like “It’s My Life, Baby,” “Lights Out,” and “Mad Dog” drip with outlaw brio, combining blues guitar ferocity with a rockin’ rhythm section to potent effect. Even better are slow-simmering numbers like “Iodine in My Coffee,” “I Smell Trouble,” and “Boot Hill,” which let Johnny brood and pine righteously over scalding riffage. Guitar Slinger veers into R&B territory with “My Soul” (complete with soulful female-vocal backup) and takes a stroll into serious funk terrain on the horn-accented “Trick Bag.” For the most part, though, Winter sticks to the basics both instrumentally and emotionally. Ken Saydak’s piano and Billy Branch’s harmonica add tasty accents at key moments. Most of all, Winter shines here, playing with the joyful abandon of a man doing what he loves best.