BRETT WALKER – Straight Jacket Vacation (2013)

BRETT WALKER - Straight Jacket Vacation (2013) mp3, download
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The announcement on the 7th of July this year that AOR singer & songwriter BRETT WALKER was to release a new solo album was reason to celebrate. However, a mere 24 hours later the tragic news that Walker died, turned those shouts of joy to tears of sadness.
On the insistence of Brett’s wife, AOR Heaven went ahead with the release of “Straight Jacket Vacation“, his final testament, providing the fans of this unsung hero one last opportunity to be captivated by a songwriter capable of being downbeat in an upbeat fashion, while offering lyrics and melodies to tug at the heartstrings and live long in the memory.

From working as a hired gun musician in L.A., writing for big AOR names such as Jimi Jamison, Jonathan Cain, Jim Peterik, Jeff Paris or Alias and having his music featured on TV shows such as CSI Miami and Sex And The City, the majority of his work came to prominence under someone else’s name. “Straight Jacket Vacation”, recorded at Panic Room Records in Laguna Beach, is firmly his own offering and identity.
This is firmly AOR and melodic rock on the lighter side of the scale, a ‘songwriter’ record full of sensibility and delicate sounds. Brett himself provides all the vocals and instrumentation, bringing in session players for drums and occasional guitar and keyboard duties. When these are the caliber of Mugs Cain (Sammy Hagar) and Timothy Drury (Whitesnake) you know that you are going to be in safe hands and hear some tight performances.

Among all new compositions, Walker also revisits his past with a stripped back version of the hit song he wrote for Alias, “Waiting For Love” taking an already wonderful song and raising it to less forceful heights.
And really that could describe the overall emotion on an album that really thrives through not be pushy, flashy or false. Instead what Walker lovingly pieced together here are honest songs that hit their mark through simple, yet interesting arrangements and by virtue of being well written and crafted songs.
Something all too often forgotten as bands and albums are clumsily moulded into what is thought to be fashionable or en vogue. Simply listen to the acoustically strummed and harmony sung “Good Enough”, or the powerful poppy rock of “I’m Gonna Fly” for proof that if you write a good song and play it from the heart, then the results will sparkle and shine without the need for tricks, flicks and gimmicks.

The aptly titled last track “Someday I’m Gonna Be Famous” sums up the fate of the hugely gifted, yet overlooked Brett Walker, a terrific musician if there where some out there.
However, at least Walker left us with a shimmering catalogue of work and a final solo album that celebrates the man and his talents quite wonderfully.
We’ll miss you Brett.

 

 

 

01. Reaching For The Stars
02. What About You
03. Better Than Goodbye
04. Streetlights Burning
05. I’ll Bet It Hurts
06. More Than I
07. Good Enough
08. Waiting For Love
09. I’m Gonna Fly
10. So Happy I’m Cryin
11. Unlucky At Love
12. Someday I’m Gonna Be Famous

Brett Walker – vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards
Pat Leon – drums
Mugs Cain – drums
Timothy Drury – drums

 

BRETT WALKER - Straight Jacket Vacation (2013) back cover

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