Released 50 years ago
A Street Called Straight
Roy Buchanan · 1976
39 min · 11 tracks · blues
Sweeping blues guitar lines intertwine with soulful vocals, creating an evocative landscape of longing and spiritual exploration.
Top tracks — play these first
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Good God Have Mercy — This track features a powerful blend of heartfelt lyrics and Buchanan's signature guitar work, showcasing his ability to convey deep emotion through sound.
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The Messiah Will Come Again — A standout for its spiritual themes, this song encapsulates Buchanan's melding of blues music with profound lyrical content, enhancing its emotional depth.
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I Still Think About Ida Mae — This track highlights Buchanan's storytelling prowess, weaving nostalgia and longing into a compelling narrative that resonates throughout the album.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Buchanan's guitar work drives the album, blending soulful vocals with intricate solos, creating a distinct blues sound.
What we noticed
- The pacing varies significantly, with some tracks maintaining a steady groove while others build to climactic peaks before tapering off.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- gritty emotional guitar solos
- short tracks for quick engagement
- soulful vocals with raw depth
- late-night reflective listening
- energetic bursts of expression
Maybe skip if you
- prefer polished production styles
- seek lengthy immersive experiences
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in early 1976, A Street Called Straight was Roy Buchanan's fifth studio album and marked a significant moment following his breakthrough with 1972's Rescue Me. At this point, he was solidifying his reputation as a master guitarist known for his emotive playing and innovative sound. This album followed a period of steady touring and showcases Buchanan's deepening artistry.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Albert King· Freddie King· Stevie Ray Vaughan
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Running Out 2:45
- 2 Keep What You Got 3:18
- 3 Man on the Floor 3:25
- 4 Good God Have Mercy 4:06
- 5 Okay 2:38
- 6 Caruso 3:23
- 7 My Friend Jeff 4:02
- 8 If Six Was Nine 3:54
- 9 Guitar Cadenza 3:55
- 10 The Messiah Will Come Again 4:09
- 11 I Still Think About Ida Mae 3:40
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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