Album #9 comes from a band that was formed shortly after the death of Texas blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan, featuring two members of the late guitarist’s band Double Trouble along with an 80s wunderkind artist and a young hotshot guitar player whose father was a lifelong friend and writing partner of Vaughan’s.  As part of their grieving process the four artists started jamming at the Austin Rehearsal Complex (hence the ARC of their name), playing a few live gigs here and there and eventually releasing their self titled album in 1992.  Their lone album (besides a 2009 live album) was chock full of bluesy and soulful rock that, while out of step with the 90s musical climate, should have deserved more attention.

If you’ve followed the career of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble you undoubtedly know the rock solid tag team of bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris “Whipper” Layton.  On this album the two veterans lay down an impenetrable backbone for the dynamic duo of Charlie Sexton and Doyle Bramhall II, two fellow Austinites who combine their vocal and guitar talents to produce twelve fantastic songs that mixed SRV/Hendrix guitar stylings with tuneful yet passionate vocals and casually cool bluesy rock vibe.  The combination of the four talents offered up something a bit fresh as it did not rely on standard blues derivations, instead focusing more on a killer mix of melody and in the pocket grooviness.  Still, the band could amp it up and amp it up well.

So, the songs…  lead cut on this disc and the one that received frequent radio play (at least around here) was the excellent “Living In A Dream” and its wide open chord voicings and killer shared vocal between Sexton and Bramhall.  The two voices are a bit different but blend extremely well, each taking a different verse or line in the song- Bramhall’s thicker tone offering up some deep soul while Sexton’s higher range tosses in some gritty bite. But it’s not just the voices…  guitar wise it’s a similar bag as Bramhall dips deep into the SRV\Hendrix trick bag while Sexton offers up cleaner tones overall; a  wicked combination that plays well throughout the disc, whether it be the lighter and good timey vibes of “Paradise Cafe”, the funkiness of “Good Time”, the greasy stomp of “Spanish Moon, or the swinging “Shape I’m In”.   Bramhall and Sexton bring it on their individually sung songs too:  “See What Tomorrow Brings” is a beautifully poignant reminiscence of Stevie Ray that features a top notch vocal and some tasty guitar work from Bramhall, and Sexton offers up the catchy and melodic soul in “Sweet Nadine”.

Oftentimes a great album saves the best for last and here we’ve got a dead on stinger in “Too Many Ways To Fall”, sung with fervent passion by Sexton as he covers a husky lower, gritty range mixed with mid and upper range conviction and occasional falsetto yelps.  While the vocal is stellar, Bramhall’s fretwork is not to be outdone as he absolutely nails some steamy and atmospheric leads topped off with some groovy rhythm work.  A fantastic blend of strong vocal and guitar work on this song from these two very fine players.

If you like blues based rock that doesn’t stick to the roots of a particular formula but offers up something fresh and new, track this one down.  There’s a little bit of this band for everyone-  hooks, fiery guitar playing, impassioned singing, and solid rock.  Buy it today.