Billy Walton Band – Neon City (Own Label).
New Jersey native Billy Walton has paid his dues on the blues circuit but the addition of bassist William Paris and drummer Marcus Croan has taken him to a different level. This is his debut album and Radio is a hi energy, hi impact opener – good blues rock. There is no doubting his fretboard skills on the eponymous title track but the song is a little nondescript. Hypnotized has a funky reggae beat with a rock base. Walton sets the frets on fire on this surprising highlight. The title says it all on Soul Song. It’s another song and another genre. On its own it is fine but I wish he would just pick a style and get on with it. He gets back to blues rock with Set Backs and you can chant along to this until your heart is content.
Treat Her Right is a speedy R&B with another shout along chorus. Walton’s guitar drives this along very well. Spreading The Blues is the kind of heavy blues rock that the Billy Walton Band excels at and air guitar players should look out their plectrums. This is short, sweet and solid. Distorted Views is a mid-paced blues ballad of a style similar to that of Gary Moore. This is more restrained than others but that lets you pick out his superb technique more. However, he can’t help himself and eventually lets it rip. He’s not up to it vocally at the start of Jersey Devil but he does eventually come onto his game on this Bon Jovi style rocker. He’s not in Bon Jovi’s class vocally but he does have claims to rival Richie Sambora on guitar. They finish with a strange choice, The Temptations’ Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone. I had reservations when I saw it listed on the sleeve and my fears were partially founded. Thankfully, it’s not a rehash of the original (why try to match perfection). There’s a strange end to it with a voice box over Walton’s guitar but it is a valiant effort nonetheless.
http://www.billywaltonband.com/
David Blue.
New Jersey native Billy Walton has paid his dues on the blues circuit but the addition of bassist William Paris and drummer Marcus Croan has taken him to a different level. This is his debut album and Radio is a hi energy, hi impact opener – good blues rock. There is no doubting his fretboard skills on the eponymous title track but the song is a little nondescript. Hypnotized has a funky reggae beat with a rock base. Walton sets the frets on fire on this surprising highlight. The title says it all on Soul Song. It’s another song and another genre. On its own it is fine but I wish he would just pick a style and get on with it. He gets back to blues rock with Set Backs and you can chant along to this until your heart is content.
Treat Her Right is a speedy R&B with another shout along chorus. Walton’s guitar drives this along very well. Spreading The Blues is the kind of heavy blues rock that the Billy Walton Band excels at and air guitar players should look out their plectrums. This is short, sweet and solid. Distorted Views is a mid-paced blues ballad of a style similar to that of Gary Moore. This is more restrained than others but that lets you pick out his superb technique more. However, he can’t help himself and eventually lets it rip. He’s not up to it vocally at the start of Jersey Devil but he does eventually come onto his game on this Bon Jovi style rocker. He’s not in Bon Jovi’s class vocally but he does have claims to rival Richie Sambora on guitar. They finish with a strange choice, The Temptations’ Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone. I had reservations when I saw it listed on the sleeve and my fears were partially founded. Thankfully, it’s not a rehash of the original (why try to match perfection). There’s a strange end to it with a voice box over Walton’s guitar but it is a valiant effort nonetheless.
http://www.billywaltonband.com/
David Blue.
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