Album review: FALCON TRAILS – Coming Home

Metalville Records [Release date 19.07.24]

Having a lifelong love of all things VW Campervan, the cover alone was enough to pique this reviewer’s interest! Falcon Trails features vocalist Lee Small (Sweet, Lionheart, Phenomena), composer/lyricist and mutli-instrumentalist Mika Grönholm (who released a couple of albums under the Grönholm handle on Lion Music) and drummer Tom Rask (also a member of Grönholm).

The album was written and recorded back in 2018 and 2019, with it only being completed earlier this year.

‘Coming Home’ features plenty of musical styles, with Lee Small channelling his inner Paul Rodgers for the bluesy rock opener ‘Fastlane’. Then next shades of Stevie Wonder on ‘Feel’, whilst ‘Soul Satisfaction’ comes from the Glenn Hughes songbook of funky soul. Helped even more by the fact that Lee Small often sounds uncannily like Glenn Hughes.

‘Devotion’ really gets into that funk rock groove, with a funky bass and plenty of guitar interplay from Mika Grönholm. Takes you right back to the 1970′s sounds of Tommy Bolin.

If there is one slight gripe, it is the lack of another faster tempo tune like the excellent ‘Fastlane’.

All three musicians are on top form throughout, with Lee Small again proving what a great set of pipes he possesses. Listen to slow blues and gospel of ‘Safe In My Arms’ for a perfect example. Oh, and the guitar solo is a thing of beauty too! Sounds at times like a long lost Coverdale/Page song.

Don’t let this one pass you by as it is a classy album for those who love a bit of blues, rock, soul and funk done over a melodic backing. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

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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)