Standing in My Shoes

Working with former Prince sideman David Z, Leo Kottke comes up with one of his most unusual records with Standing in My Shoes. David Z doesn't necessarily bring Kottke toward funk, but the spare rhythm section gives the guitarist a stronger sense of groove than ever before, and Kottke really shines in such a setting. His solos are loose and swinging, and even his trio of vocal numbers have a charming, carefree quality. Standing in My Shoes does bog down occasionally, particularly when the execution is more compelling than the material, but on the whole, it is one of his more fascinating records of the '90s.