Kris Pohlmann – Taylor Road | Album Review

krispohlmanncdKris Pohlmann – Taylor Road

Black Penny Records

www.blackpennyrecords.com

11 tracks

Hailing from the outskirts of London, England and born in 1977, Kris Pohlmann discovered the guitar at 15. Weaned on Status Quo and then ZZ Top, Free and Cream, we see the rock influences that appear in his music. He discovered Stevie Ray Vaughn at 18 and then got hooked on the Freddy and Albert King, Jeff Healy, Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore, his biggest influence.

With this we have Kris’ third album with a new band. Featured here is a power trio led by Pohlmann. Dennis Bowens is on bass and Daniel Guthausen s on drums and percussion. Kris Pohlmann’s new CD “Taylor Road” is hyped as blues infused with rock. I’d say that is a bit of a stretch; it’s more like guitar rock with a slight blue tinge.

“Used to Be” opens things up with a huge, rock guitar sound. As with all the songs, this is well done rock music. The title track follows, with a small hint of a blues approach to it. The song is mid-tempo rocker with a huge guitar lead. “One Good Reason” continues in the rocking mode, with a low to mid-tempo beat . “Borrow Time” could be a late 70’ or early 80’s FM rock song with a smashing guitar solo that would have lit up the airwaves. “Look the Other Way” Is a rock ballad of sorts, building and diminishing as Pohlmann growls and displays his adept guitar style. “Ain’t Cryin’ For Yesterday” is another heavy rocker that uses all the big techniques that have rock fans playing along in air guitar in joyful adoration.

“Taking Back What Is Mine” has a bit of a blues riff to it before going all out into the rock world. There is a distorted harp that enters the fray, also big and bold like the guitar here. “The Silence” is a thoughtful rock song where Pohlmann relates about a relationship gone wrong. He builds into a big and long guitar solo, then returns to the more thoughtful pace for a bit and then closes with a flourish. Another rocker follows, “Slow Motion.” “Tarantula” comes next, with an even bigger guitar solo as Kris relates his woman to a deadly spider. He closes with a song that opens acoustically and grows into a bigger sound with full band and electric guitar.

If you like the heavy handed, hard rocking music this may appeal to you. Pohlmann’s gravelly and gruff vocals are effective, the songs are all originals and the lyrics are sound. His guitar technique hearkens to the era of his youth and earlier. But this is a blues magazine and we review blues music. This is not a blues album. It’s a good rock album by a talented guy who apparently appreciates the blues but delivers to us an edgy and high energy rock album.

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