Following the brief jazz departure of New York Stories,
Danny Gatton returned to his blues and rock & roll roots with 1993's
Cruisin' Deuces, which was essentially the follow-up to 1991's
88 Elmira St. Like that album,
Cruisin' Deuces is peppered with stinging rockabilly leads and amazing country and blues licks.
Gatton's skill was tasteful and lightning fast -- he could sound like two guitars playing simultaneously, but he never sounded cluttered or heavy-handed. And his guitar playing is the reason why you listen to
Danny Gatton -- the occasional appearance of guest vocalists like
Delbert McClinton and
Rodney Crowell is just an annoyance. With its reliance on country-oriented material,
Cruisin' Deuces isn't as diverse as his previous efforts, but it is no less impressive than its predecessors. ~ Thom Owens