After Never Look Back established the teenaged Blues Saraceno as one of the premier players in the claustrophobic world of virtuoso rock, musicians awed by the guitarist’s articulate soloing weren’t let down by this 1992 follow-up. On Plaid, Saraceno’s second disc for Guitar Recordings, the artist makes many technical strides, improving his instrumental and home recording chops greatly, surpassing his debut in every facet. On “Last Train Out” — perhaps Saraceno’s career-best track — the guitarist displays an even more refined tone and rhythmic aptitude. Other highlights like “A Lighter Shade of Plaid” and “The Scratch” display the shredder’s continued development of double-stop soloing, tight rhythms, and smart phrasing. Several boogie-down exercises in sassy riffing mixed with modern hyper blues soloing are also included. More dynamic and more colorful, Plaid improves greatly upon the solid musicianship and overall listenability of Saraceno’s debut. – Vincent Jeffries