8. Stevie Ray Vaughan - The Sky Is Crying
Somehow, Vaughan's The Sky Is Crying managed to avoid the usual complaints lodged against posthumous albums, namely that they're inconsistent and poorly constructed. The fact that this album could be considered one of his best, with a remarkable density and coherent arrangement, is nothing short of amazing. The songs were recorded over the span of about five years, and are considered to be outtakes that were either left off his previous albums, or were first drafts of tunes that were eventually overhauled ("Empty Arms"). And again, considering the seeming mismatching of songs from different sessions, it's almost unfathomable just how fluidly The Sky Is Crying flows. Make no mistake, there's still plenty of diversity in Stevie Ray's guitar work, roaming between classic, soulful blues of Jimmy Reed ("May I Have a Talk With You") and loose, almost jazz-like phrasings ("Chitlins Con Carne"). The album is best remembered among casual Stevie Ray fans for his dynamic take on Hendrix's "Little Wing," which strips the song of vocals and letting his guitar notes do all the talking. But the album's true standout is "Life By the Drop," a slow ditty where you can practically hear the legendary guitarist waving goodbye with a smile on his face. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihoudTTcWp4