Stinging Blues, Well-Crafted Ballads & Dynamic Musicianship Highlight 2nd Hurley CD

I admit that I am a little old school. I have known many successful producers of records from the past who gave me advice on what to do and what not to do to balance an album out. They believed that song placement was important in the overall showcase of an album etc…

So, I was a little puzzled when Kyle T. Hurley (or his producer) broke one of the rules. It’s actually a minor infraction but it did jar me when the first song on actually a very good album – was a cover song. I was always told and taught that you never open your original album with a cover – especially a well-known cover (“Pride & Joy”) by a famous person (Stevie Ray Vaughn). Nonetheless, the effort was admirable. All the musicians play quite proficiently. So — what do I know?

There are reasons for this – but that’s not what I’m here to discuss or debate. Maybe a cover of a lesser known song by a minor artist would be the exception. Well, the performances on this album are excellent and maybe it’s not as important anymore as it once was.

Ok, let’s get down to brass tacks.

Other than the first song being misplaced in the order of his ten-song collection on KTH II – the musicianship and songs are all quite good and performed with excitement. Kyle T. Hurley’s solid-state music contains effective blues, stirring lead guitar licks, wonderful ballads and competent melodies that stick like gum to the memory.

Hurley sings the blues but the surprise here is that he doesn’t have the typical blues voice or approach. He doesn’t sound gritty like any of the black veteran bluesmen or has that warm rasp that an Eric Clapton would provide. Or the down home too many cigarette blues voice of a J.J. Cale. He doesn’t have the growl of the late John Campbell or the twangy blues curve of Stevie Ray Vaughn or the dazzle of Jeff Healy.

So, does this weaken his showcase? Not at all. Hurley does sound like he knows what he’s doing vocally, especially on his well-written originals.

Track two is “In the Doghouse,” and this has that standard retro-blues tone used on so many songs. Here, Hurley manages to do what chefs do to a salad. He adds lots of garnishments. The guitar surrounds itself with tasty runs, a flavorful arrangement and the whole meal becomes a blues feast. Lead guitarist Davide Mazzantini is the lead for all but one track on this collection. He really takes some blistering runs at times that are peppered throughout the album and he’s quite impressive.

Hurley’s voice is strong and authoritative for a white boy’s blues. He suffers to a degree the way the late Johnny Winter, John Mayall, and the late Duster Bennett suffered in the past. They were all genuine purveyors of the blues but they never had that cornbread, tobacco, moonshine and muddy water zeal of the veterans. I guess they lived it, and the followers had to settle for having “felt” it naturally in their bones from having listened to it, loved it and played it.

As for Kyle — his grit is set at mid-range. Toward the end, the last vocal notes on this song sound almost like Axl Rose. However, I think it succeeds. It has ambition and its well-thought out – at least to my ears. Hurley is not going through the motions. Here he tries to and does succeed to put his own signature on these selections.

“Carolina Cries,” follows with a dark brooding melody that’s quite cool. The echoing vocal of Hurley over the music break is haunting and not in a novelty way. It’s applied well. It’s the same as when special effects in a film actually work because they’re not used consistently to impress viewers. Of course, this is just a tad too commercial to be genuine blues. It’s embellished a bit to attract younger ears. The guitar is still effective but the tune itself won’t win over any blues aficionados. But then comes track five — the dynamic. “House of the Setting Sun,” provides a listener with a different tonal Hurley vocal. The guitar has a prickly hook to its notes. Good rock work out that straddles the country-blues. There are no real fireworks but the tune has a compelling melody and a little Led Zeppelin jab. While the drums are good in order to be a little closer to Zep in spirit — Alessandro Cinelli would have to attack his skins with just a little more aggression. Sometimes simple is best – this one catches the ear quickly and tugs at it hard. I like the way Hurley adds words as he sings. It’s what a great performer does in a live concert. It adds excitement and Hurley has done that here.

Two dynamic tracks in a row is impressive. “Shot!” also has moments – it’s driving Davide Mazzantini lead guitar dominates.

On this song, Davide reminds me of a great early 70’s lead guitarist who played similarly on the classic “Ultimate Prophecy” album by J.D. Blackfoot. (Only a live version is available on YouTube. The fiery lead is most effective on the studio take). That guitarist was Jeff Whitlock. Great melodic tone, almost in the tradition of Leslie West. Mazzantini could pass for Whitlock’s son the way he applied similar leads on “Shot!” and Kyle sang in a close approximation of Blackfoot. Blackfoot held notes and had a great scream but with far more power. Kyle provides rhythm guitar and lead vocals. Enzo Strano plays bass.

The only distraction on this excellent rocker that I found — was the brief breakaway into rap. Fortunately, Kyle’s rap was at top speed and provided the energy required to maintain the rock quality of the song. Usually when I hear rap injected into a rocker it just saps all the energy. But not here. This was done very well and Davide’s leads are absorbing.

Lead guitar on “Getting’ Home” is provided by Robin Banerjee. This is another song that has essence and potency. This is probably Kyle’s finest vocal.

Holding notes clean with the warm guitar of Robin that rings out almost Byrds-like. This is not a blues – but, a standard ballad with simple and beautiful lyrics. This song shows Kyle’s diversification and it’s impressive. The excellent guitar is reminiscent of the old classic band Moby Grape in their most melodic country-rock days – the “Truly Fine Citizen,” album with “Changes, Circles Spinning” and “Right Before My Eyes.” This is refreshing and strikes all the right chords.

Clever little title – “Completely Clarissa’s Crimes,” has a familiar melody (a Nirvana song?) to my ears. I can’t place it. No matter. This song is well performed. Again, Kyle steps away from the earlier blues and sings in a more rock vein just short of grunge but not quite there. The song is well-recorded and resonates nicely. Kyle also sings with style. He could have just sung the words straight and let the musicians dress up the tune. Instead, he used his voice as an instrument.

Continuing with rock-oriented story ballads “The Last Long Ride,” unravels at over seven-minutes with a country lilt, liberally dipped in a rock bath. Kyle sings with zeal and this is a keeper.

It sounds like it had roots in some old traditional song and it was resurrected for modern ears. Hurley’s vocal is subtle and broader and it’s delivered with wholesomeness but that doesn’t mean it’s flimsy. When the lead guitar screams into the song it pulls rabbits out of the hat of the Marshall Tucker Band, the Allman Brothers and ZZ Top. Some tasty drums in the song as well drive it straight and steady. The song is a little long but it’s filled with many musical colors — it’s worth the ride. Hurley at this point shows some signs of an ability to be raspier and that is a big plus for some of the types of songs he sings.

Another production rule broken here…but I won’t cry or stamp my feet. But I must ask — why would anyone write an original song and use a classic title? “Be-Bop-a-Lua,” – the entire world still remembers Gene Vincent’s song of a similar title. Now, I don’t mind the use of the words in the song for effect because the tune by Kyle is actually quite good. Kyle’s retro-rock fifties excursion is played with Duane Eddy flavored guitar excitement and is quite the kick in the head as a juicy rocker. Kyle doesn’t have the vocal power of an Elvis Presley, Robert Gordon or even Dave Edmunds. And he doesn’t try to. But he is more potent than say Marshall Crenshaw, and he does have an understanding of how rock and roll needs to be fluid. Just don’t use a classic title for your own song.

Of course, sometimes it shows a respectful hat tip to another era and not be construed as obnoxious.

As for the last gasp: will the younger crowd know where the “I’ve got blisters on my fingers…” line originated and by whom? All I suggest is this: come up with your own clever lines to insure your own legacy. Don’t fall back on what’s been said and done already by someone else unless you’re saying it off the cuff in concert out of humorous respect for a musical hero.

Other than that – KTH II is an ambitious, cool collection of some excellent blues, potent ballads and the steady soar of lead guitars with a relevant vocal. In other words, all the ingredients for success except one: luck. But that can be circumvented with hard work and persistence. It’s worth it, so keep doing it, Kyle.

The album CD art is a hooded figure spray painting a brick wall with what looks like a Heath Ledger Joker. The design was by Mike Garden. The back cover has an illustration of Billie Holiday and graffiti. Quite representative of the music Mr. Hurley has produced. There were no detailed production credits on my copy of the advanced CD and no lyric booklet etc…

Website:   http://www.kylethurley.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kylethurley

Music Samples:   http://www.kylethurley.com/Music

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review/commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of No Depression. All photography is owned by the respective photographers and is their copyrighted image; credited where photographer’s name was known & being used here solely as a reference and will be removed on request. YouTube images are standard YouTube license.

John Apice / No Depression / August 2017