BERGGREN KERSLAKE BAND – Walk Tall (2013)

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The BERGGREN KERSLAKE BAND will release their debut album on AOR Heaven in 2014, but as advance they are presenting the EP “Walk Tall”.
The group was founded by Swedish guitarist & singer Stefan Berggren, known for his stint with The Company of Snakes, the blues-rock band formed by ex-Whitesnake guitar tandem Micky Moody / Bernie Marsden, and recently for his vocals on the excellent Revolution Road debut already presented here.
The other leg of the band is no-other than legendary British drummer Lee Kerslake (Uriah Heep, Ozzy Osbourne’s first album Blizzard of Ozz).

After a six year semi-retirement (having left Uriah Heep in early 2007 for health reasons) there was good news when Lee Kerslake got himself back behind a kit for a number of live performances (most notably with Uriah Heep Legends) before being invited by Berggren to co-found the Berggren Kerslake Band.
The music of BKB, while also featuring the solid four-string talents of Tomas Thorberg (ex- Snakes In Paradise, John Norum band) and keyboard contributions by Joakim Svalberg (Opeth, Yngwie) is focused on Stefan Berggren’s passionate vocals and Kerslake’s distinct sense of rhythm. You know when Lee plays on a record even without reading the credits, his swing is unique.

With the Berggren Kerslake Band, Stefan Berggren’s blues-infused hard rock pipes have found their home; on the “Walk Tall” EP the singer has done his best vocal work to date – and none-too-shabby guitar work and keyboard touches – to some great new, classic rock inspired material.
Add Lee Kerslake who has his own way of tuning drums to create his instantly recognizable drum sound. His swingin’ & energetic playing drive these songs with great charisma, and the man even sings some lead vocals.
The trio organic sound is completed by Tomas Thorberg who plays deep bass lines in the same vein as Gary Thain & John Paul Jones but with his own twist.

The title track of the EP is an excellent choice for lead-off number. Its mid-tempo, bluesy rock swagger develops into an exceptional slice of melodic blues rock and roll, in the mould of later-era Bad Company or early Whitesnake. But “Walk Tall” also carries its own vibrant sound and features some great harmony-guitar and six-string lead lines from Berggren.
By contrast, follower “Super Sonic Dreem” (not Dream) is a full-steam ahead rocker driven by Lee Kerslake. Recalling the drummer’s illustrious past, the song is a distant second cousin of Uriah Heep’s ‘Easy Livin’ in tempo, energy and short bursts of Heep-esque backing vocals.

But there’s far more to the EP and BKB than just melodic blues and classic rock.
“MY MY” builds from an understated vocal and acoustic opening to blossom in to a song of many layers, featuring a couple of organ / keyboard runs and string-like mellotron (played by Kerslake) that only add to the atmosphere of the song.
“Free” changes the pace for what is best described as a classic Whitesnake power ballad with acoustic-based core, but carrying some mid-heavyweight punch.
Last cut “Born Again” has a similar musical weight to the previous song, but the EP’s closer slows things down further before kicking up a gear for an uptempo finale rich in melodious guitar riffs, hammond and dynamic drumming.

I am in love with the Berggren Kerslake Band. This is pure classic hard rock akin the greats like early Whitesnake or Bad Company, but with its own personality.
According to Berggren, all was recorded without klick track sequencers or pitch correction; “That’s how we like to hear the music we like, just people playing together in a room…”. The BKB sound obtained is warm and melodious, mixed & mastered by Lennart Östlund (ABBA, Led Zeppelin) at the PolarStudio in Sweden, together with Pete Lyman (Rival Sons) who has mixed some tracks.

There’s an earthy, honest quality to the material on “Walk Tall”, and ‘honest’ might just be the best word to describe what the Berggren Kerslake Band are producing. Because this is honest rock and roll from a trio that have clearly formed first and foremost due to their love of playing together; their chemistry has produced some very strong material.
I can’t wait to listen their debut album (due in February 2014), meanwhile, enjoy this great slice of Classic, bluesy Hard Rock done as it should be.
Super Highly Recommended.

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox


1 – Walk Tall
2 – Super Sonic Dreem
3 – MY MY
4 – Free
5 – Born Again

Stefan Berggren: Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
Lee Kerslake: Drums, Backing Vocals, Mellotron & Chimes
Tomas Thorberg: Bass
Joakim Svalberg: guest Organ, Moog

BUY IT !
itunes.apple.com/us/album/walk-tall/id768815410
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