Skirting the edges of stardom, Chris Whitley passed away far too young at 45, but left a catalog of albums more influential than they were ever popular. A wide array of artists, from John Mayer to Joe Bonamassa have lauded Whitley's playing and songwriting, so we're diving into this 1995 sophomore album Din of Ecstasy. Whereas his debut was a slickly produced blues rock album that produced a Top 40 Mainstream Rock chart hit, the follow-up sounds more in line with the happenings of the decade. The big fuzz of Dinosaur Jr. appears on "Din," while a guitar solo on "God Thing" conjures images of Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, as Whitley embraces complex guitar riffs and atmospheric production that sound both of the time and timeless. The only hitch? The album is a slow burn, and a checked-out, background noise listen won't do it justice.
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