The late
Roy Buchanan is a sadly underrated cult figure in the world of hard rock guitar. His aggressive attack, soulful selection of notes, and general playing attitude made him one of the most respected players of his generation. With heavy competition from musicians such as
Eric Clapton,
Duane Allman, and
Jimi Hendrix, this is quite a feat.
That's What I Am Here For, one of his earlier Polydor albums, illustrates all of the above artists in fine style. The extended reading of "Hey Joe" is enough to seal
Buchanan's reputation, with some lightning fast and super heavy blues runs. Overall, the album suffers from some weak songwriting, but there are some gems, such as an extremely sad "Home Is Where I Lost Her," a tale of the death of a lady friend. Billy Price's vocals are a bit mannered and somewhat dated, but effective nonetheless. Another of the album's highlights is "Rodney's Song," a soulful Southern rocker that would have been at home on an early
Allman Brothers album.
Buchanan really rips on this one, and proves what an awesome player he really was. ~ Matthew Greenwald