RON KEEL – Metal Cowboy (2014)
*
With the release today of his new “Metal Cowboy” solo album, RON KEEL’s career in the entertainment business is experiencing yet again another climax. After selling millions of records and touring the world as both a heavy metal screamer (KEEL, Steeler, etc.) and melodic country music artist (Ronnie Lee Keel, The Rat’lers, Country Superstars Show), it can safely be said that Ron has seen it all.
Despite his extensive career, “Metal Cowboy” is the first Ron Keel ‘solo’ rock album.
Ron says: “I am very lucky because most of what I’ve done in my life was the result of NOT making decisions – all of a sudden an idea will come to me, and I will follow it. When I believe something is right, I go for it. “Metal Cowboy” was like that – I wanted to create something special, have fun and make music.
After 30 years and around 50 albums, I think it’s time to release my first rock solo album!”
The CD title came from Ron Keel’s nickname, often called ‘Metal Cowboy’ for his incursions on both genres. In this record Ron decided to combine his metal side with his cowboy side in both life and music.
But don’t be fooled, this is a hard rockin’ album.
The music sounds just like the title; hard & heavy with a southern side, yes, but plenty of gritty screaming vocals, powerful riffs and smashing drums.
Backing Ron Keel there is Y&T drummer Mike Vanderhule, Tesla’s Frank Hannon on lead guitars, Geno Arce (Keel / IronHorse) on bass and Ronnie Mancuso (Beggars & Thieves) on keys and bass, with other special guests including Paul Shortino (Quiet Riot, King Kobra), Brent Muscat (Faster Pussycat), and a ‘live in studio’ recording with the Sin City Sinners.
So expect a rocking playing / arrangements here, like the sweaty opener “Long Gone Bad”, the highly melodic “Wild Forever” (a true Melodic Hard Rock tune), and the groovy hard rockers “My Bad” and “The Last Ride”.
All is balanced by numbers with a southern rock feel such as “What Would Skynyrd Do” (title says all), the beautiful ballad “Just Like Tennessee”, or the great “Singers, Hookers & Thieves” in a terrific duet with Paul Shortino.
But there’s more hard rockers with the bluesy “When Love Goes Down”, the whiskey-soaked “Evil Wicked Mean & Nasty” and the melodic “The Cowboy Road” which somehow reminds me Keel (the band) with a very good guitar work by Frank Hannon. Not all are roses, because “3 Chord Drinkin’ Song” (featuring the Sin City Sinners), although cool, is poorly recorded live in my opinion.
We have three bonuses: “My Bad (Radio Version)” almost identical to the original, “Just Like Tennessee (Unplugged)” without drums and a nice dobro in it, and “Singers, Hookers & Thieves (Solo Acoustic Version)”, only featuring Ron at the mic.
“Metal Cowboy” is a very pleasant listen, a definite testimony of Ron Keel’s favourite rock styles: hard rock and American southern bluesy rock.
Sometimes when you combine two flavors you create something new that tastes really good, and you can tell Keel knows something about these genres.
To be honest, this music recipe is not ‘new’ at all, but it is for Ron Keel’s career. He has created his own musical space here, where he feels at home. And works. And really rocks.
Recommended.
01 – Long Gone Bad
02 – Wild Forever
03 – My Bad
04 – What Would Skynyrd Do
05 – Just Like Tennessee
06 – The Last Ride
07 – When Love Goes Down
08 – Singers, Hookers & Thieves [duet with Paul Shortino]
09 – Evil Wicked Mean & Nasty
10 – The Cowboy Road
11 – 3 Chord Drinkin Song [featuring the Sin City Sinners]
12 – My Bad (Radio Version)
13 – Just Like Tennessee (Unplugged)
14 – Singers, Hookers & Thieves (Solo Acoustic Version)
Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Banjo: Ron Keel
Lead Guitar: Frank Hannon, Brent Muscat, Keith Robert
Bass, Keyboards: Ronnie Mancuso
Bass: Kenn Tonn, Geno Arce
Bass, Backing Vocals: Zach Throne
Drums: Mike Vanderhule
Percussion, Backing Vocals: Rob Cournoyer
Piano: Joe Spraker
Pedal Steel Guitar: Ditch Kurtz
Dobro: Travis Toy
Backing Vocals: Carol Lyn Liddle, Renée Keel
BUY IT !
www.amazon.com/Ron-Keel-Metal-Cowboy/dp/B00HTP4GTK
.
