RICHIE KOTZEN – Salting Earth (2017)
After the mega-worldwide 2015–16 tour with The Winery Dogs, RICHIE KOTZEN has announced that he’ll release his 21st solo album – titled “Salting Earth” – on April 14.
Kotzen has never been an artist known for playing by the rules. And for this ever-adventurous triple-threat songwriter / guitarist / vocalist, that meant putting on the brakes after a nonstop flurry of band-related activity in order to refuel the creative process for the 10 heartfelt and hard-hitting songs that comprise this new, vibrant solo album.
And the man’s reset manifesto wound up hitting all the right buttons too. The proof is on display deep within the grooves of “Salting Earth”, which veers from the balls-out, heads-up declaration of the opening track and first single, “End Of Earth”, featuring an extensive solo to close out the track showcasing Kotzen’s impressive guitar prowess, to the burning-sky harmonic thrust of “Thunder”, to the funk-jazz swing of “This Is Life”, to the acoustified take-me-as-I-am self-reflection of the album’s final song, “Grammy”.
The majority of “Salting Earth” is the result of Kotzen’s one-man production machine, with the exception of Julia Lage adding background vocals to “Make It Easy”, a tasty, sing-along groove stew. This song is for those Winery Dogs fans, with a fluid driving beat that’ll make you dance or at least tap your feet.
Changing gears, “My Rock” plays like a romantic ode as Richie sings about being taken from the bottom to the top. As you see, this is a diverse record, and we have more catchy funk on “Meds”, and then soulful melodies on “Cannon Ball”.
If you have been following Richie Kotzen solo works, “Salting Earth” will immensely please you.
It’s not the Winery Dogs, and although has many rocking moments is full of soul music reminiscent of the ’70s and early ’80s. This being Richie’s 21st solo album dating back from his self-titled debut in 1989, any musical artist with talent is going to change things up throughout their career, or you hope that’s the case, otherwise you’d get the same exact album every time just with a different name.
“Salting Earth” is another solid collection of songs to add to the Richie Kotzen catalog. Few artists continue to put out new music as often as Kotzen, and not only is Kotzen continuing to put out new music, but he keeps doing it at a high level.
“Salting Earth” has a little something for everyone, and it is strongly recommended.
01. End Of Earth
02. Thunder
03. Divine Power
04. I’ve Got You
05. My Rock
06. This Is Life
07. Make It Easy
08. Meds
09. Cannon Ball
10. Grammy
Richie Kotzen – vocals, all instruments
Julia Lage – background vocals on “Make It Easy”
BUY IT !
www.amazon.com/Salting-Earth-Richie-Kotzen/dp/B01MTENO2B
.
