Cleopatra Records artist: Tom Killner - Hard Road - New release review

I just received the newest release, Hard Road, from Tom Killner and it's quite good. Opening with Dallas Green's, Coming Home, a stompin' blues rocker, featuring Tom Killner om lead vocal. Nigel Killner on bass, Jake Ashrom on bass and Jesse Courts on backing vocal. I really like this track with it's Delaney & Bonnie sensuousness and southern rock swagger. Ain't No Rest For The Wicked is a stiff poke in the face of American bands trying to do real southern rock. I mean, this band does really nicely what hasn't been done since RVZ died in the fatal crash of 1977. Very cool! Showtune, Feeling Good, made popular by Nina Simone, is a temperamental track with a nice blues edge, accented by Killner's vocal and guitar style. Extended lead soloing is certainly nicely executed and rhythm guitar has great tone. Excellent! Seether track, Fake It maintains it's pop rocky feel but with tasty guitar interpretation. Red Arnall song, Cocaine Blues gets an ethereal makeover, Killner using nice guitar tones with his solid vocals to deliver the goods. I really like this track and it's simplicity. Title track, Hard Road is a strong ballad with super potential for radio play with some of the best lead vocals and strongest melody on the release. Melodic guitar solos by Killner sits nicely in the mix. Lifting Me Higher is a real basic rocker with clever guitar riffs and solid vocals. Whisky Haze has a jazzy overtone... almost a Good Rats feel. The track is light on it's feet but kicks some serious dirt when it opens up. Killner lays out some real nice guitar riffs and his gravelly vocals work really nicely. Do It Again has a real country rock swagger with it's rhythm guitar vamp and driving drum rhythm. I particularly like Killner's vocals and guitar attack on this track ... a solid rocker! Taking It's Toll takes cues from Skynyrd (Simple Man) on this track. With simple quiet guitar accompaniment with drums and bass behind his powerful vocals, Killner slowly builds this track to a stalking killer. Very nice! Wrapping the release is Midnight Call, with a lot of movement and cockiness. With wah wah blazing Killner leaves the release blazing just as he opened. Nice job!

   

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