Stevie Salas Colorcode is the debut album by the Native American guitar player Stevie Salas, released in 1990.[2][3] Colorcode was the name Salas gave to his band.
Salas supported the album by opening for Joe Satriani on a North American tour.[2] The album was a commercial disappointment in the United States, but sold well in international markets.[4] The album's first single was "The Harder They Come".[5]
Production
Recorded in New York, the album was coproduced by Bill Laswell.[6][7] Colorcode included Winston Watson Jr. on drums and C.J. De Villier on bass.[8] Salas wrote or cowrote all of the album's songs; Parthenon Huxley contributed to some of the lyrics.[9][10] Salas was at times fretful during the recording sessions, worried because he had quit lucrative sideman jobs.[11]
The Globe and Mail thought that Salas "sings with an almost audible sneer, and his guitar playing is white hot."[8]The Province determined that Salas "knows how to lock into a groove and doesn't forsake melody for flash—a Hendrix legacy that other modern guitarists overlook."[6]The Buffalo News appreciated that Salas "never once drops his basic allegiance to the underlying funk groove."[16]
The Calgary Herald lamented that the "songs do nothing more than showcase [the] young guitarist."[13] The Chicago Tribune concluded: "Caught in the limboland between glam rock and Journey-inspired tunes, Stevie Salas allows a menagerie of his musical influences to shine through."[14]The San Diego Union-Tribune deemed the album "a flashy, brash debut, full of talent and youthful exuberance."[17]
AllMusic wrote that "'Indian Chief', a touching, Hendrix-inspired ode to Salas' father, is an understated highlight."[12]The Rolling Stone Album Guide opined that Salas's guitar playing moves "beyond the usual funk-and-metal clichés."[15]
Track listing
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Stand Up!"
2.
"Blind"
3.
"Caught in the Middle of It"
4.
"Just Like That"
5.
"Two Bullets and a Gun"
6.
"The Harder They Come"
7.
"Over and Over Again"
8.
"Baby Walk On"
9.
"Indian Chief"
10.
"Cover Me"
References
^Caudle, Todd (March 9, 1990). "Talented 'Stevie Salas Colorcode' blends rock 'n' soul". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. p. D10.
^ ab"April Reviews". Calgary Herald. May 3, 1990. p. H5.
^ abO'Connor Creevy, Caitlin (March 29, 1990). "Recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. 19D.
^ abThe Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 616.
^Anderson, Dale (February 16, 1990). "Second Chances". The Buffalo News. p. G33.
^Toombs, Mikel (February 3, 1990). "Stevie Salas has traveled far with a guitar – He's coming home to perform tonight". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. C5.
