Album review: CULVER KINGZ – This Time
Escape Music [Release date 24.06.16]
Culver Kingz maybe a new name, however the ideas for the musical pairing started back in 1983 when Michael Thompson and Billy Trudel planned a band called Slang. Sadly this never came to fruition and it wasn’t until 2011 that the pair decided to finally record an album together.
The music is a mix of laid back West Coast/AOR, with a large hint of soul and R&B in places. Michael Thompson does rock out occasionally on the old guitar as can be heard on ‘Chains Get Broken’. The soul/funky vibe of ‘Dirty Secret’ reminds me of Toto’s ‘Fahrenheit’ album, as does the gentle AOR of the title track, and what a wonderfully soulful and smooth vocal Billy Trudel has.
‘Wan Chai Girl’ is made for summer days and those R&B (that’s the dance meaning not the proper blues one!) compilations and soulful late night radio. I would be very surprised if this is not covered in the future by other artists.
Hopefully this album won’t get lost and become a hidden gem re-issued some years in the future as it deserves to be heard and enjoyed. A brave move by Escape, as although Michael Thompson is well known in melodic rock circles, this is not like any of his previous albums. It will appeal to a much wider audience outside of the loyal but small West Coast/AOR fan base. ****
Review by Jason Ritchie
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024
ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)
Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
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