Album review: ADRIAN GALYSH – Into The Blue

Adrian Galysh [Release date 25.05.16]

Having thrown everything at his disposal into his previous prog influenced album ‘Tone Poet’, West coast guitarist Adrian Galysh’s new ‘Into The Blue’ is a return to rock blues basics, except he’s got Kaycee Clanton guesting on vocals to give the album an unexpected extra dimension.

She’s got an interesting background including stints with Beth Hart and Big Brother & The Holding Company and she doesn’t hold back. She brings a raucous rock feel to the drum tight ‘The War’ – one of 5 impressive Galysh/Clanton co-writes – and she tackles the Gary Moore influenced ballad ‘Unloveable Me’, on which she just about moulds her words with Galysh’s big guitar figure.

Adrian Galysh is a well respected LA based axe slinger with collaborative credits with fellow guitar giants like Uli Jon Roth, Yngwie Malmsteen and Robben Ford, as well as being a published guitar tutor. And it’s his ability to imaginatively work his way round some tight arrangements and deliver real spark and contrast that makes this album more than just another LA session man’s side project.

The two striking covers of ‘Messing With the Kid’ – featuring guest guitarist Carl Verheyen – and ‘Further On Up The Road’ with Johnny Hiland are live set staples, but it’s his self penned ‘Let Your Hammer Ring’, complete with a chain gang sample, that sets out his qualities loud and clear. A big arresting drum sound is offset by a climactic shred that leaves us in no doubt as to Adrian’s guitar playing credentials.

His rhythm section of Joey Heredia (Stevie Wonder) and bassist Paul Loranger (Eric Sardinas) sets up a booming back beat which he drenches with an expressive shower of notes to give the song its resolution.

Kaycee Clanton also quickly impresses with her opening vocal on the single ‘Bar Stool Monarchy’, which is arguably one of the best tracks on the album.

Much like the slide figure of ‘Who Am I To Say’, it’s a radio friendly song with a vague Zeppelin feel, that in this case bubbles up over a basic funky track, as Kaycee’s angst is more than mirrored by Galysh’s rich tones.

And it is the flexibility of Galysh tone choices that gives the material a notable depth and marks him out as a good blues player.

He toughens up the riffs on ‘Further On Up The Road’, though the song also exposes his limitations as a vocalist. But as with much of this album, he does his best talking with his guitar playing, especially when he’s joined by hot Nashville picker Johnny Hiland, who brings light and shade to a cover that is initially underwhelming, but is soon transformed by string busting frisson.

Then there’s the fluidity of Galysh’s guitar runs as evidenced by ‘Messin’ With The Kid’, as he weaves in and out of a whip-crack arrangement.

‘Nobody Knows You (When You’re Down & Out)’ might be a tad unimaginative as a choice of a cover, but Kaycee brings real gravitas to the piece with emotive phrasing over banks of synths, before Adrian’s signature tone rises dramatically in an arc to round off the song with another defining moment.

And it’s his ability to inject the tried and tested with a fresh purpose through his solos that is the key to this album’s success.

He saves his best for last, as Kaycee launches into an impassioned vocal on the Joplinesque ‘Why Am I Singing The Blues’, a song with nuanced bv’s and a big sweep that underlines the titular question.

Adrian Galysh’s diverse solos are always an integral part of the arrangements and his wide range of tone colours means that his familiar brand of blues/rock carries enough emotional weight and versatility to make this an interesting guitar driven album. ***½

Review by Pete Feenstra

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)