Favorite Things: Family Style

This album by Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan is one of my favorite's of the SRV canon. I fell in love with his music just before he died, when I was in grad school (for the last time), but didn't come across this album until much later, when I was gathering up all the studio and live work I could.

I had this on tape, but bought a new copy on DVD last fall while I was in Paris, because it wasn't on my iPod and I missed it so much. The songs make me want to dance: whenever I hear it,I start to mini-dance, because I am usually in public--meaning wiggle and jiggle and tap my foot, knees, hips, head, torso... everything short of legit dancing. Probably looks a lot like crazy.

And yes, I love shopping for older US rock albums in Paris: as always, went to FNAC and there it was. So easy.

So now I can love it for two reasons: the great music AND memories of listening to this on the Paris Metro, zooming across the city to the archives, or a museum, or yoga class.

The tracks mix SRV's signature blues and rock, but Jimmie is a welcome addition. In some ways, I think this is the best of the SRV albums (don't shoot me!) simply because it is clear that the Vaughan Brothers temper each other's style so well, adding and enriching to the work. It was a delight to hear this Texas-based power album while in Paris--a nice contradiction/counterpoint to my own life. Great music to walk to, work out to, and dance to.

Pearl