KEN HENSLEY – Rare & Timeless (2018)
Personally prepared by himself, legendary KEN HENSLEY is releasing today March 30th his new CD “Rare & Timeless“, a selected collection of his work over the last decades featuring a bunch of rare and previously unreleased tracks, plus 2 brand new songs and one new re-recording, exclusively for this album.
Hensley’s name will forever be associated with Uriah Heep, with whom he found fame as a keyboard player, occasional guitarist and vocalist, and primary songwriter. A member of pre-Heep bands The Gods and Toe Fat, he performed on and wrote or co-wrote many of the band’s biggest hits, including ‘Free Me’, ‘Lady In Black’, ‘Look At Yourself’ and ‘Easy Livin’.
Post Heep, solo career aside, he has also worked with Blackfoot, John Lawton and WASP, among others.
This new album collects some of Hensley’s best solo work, some previously unreleased songs, and re-workings of a Uriah Heep classic or two.
Here the emphasis is on the songwriting and production more than rocking out, as opener ‘Free Me’ shows – the sweeping strings are a nice touch and go well with the strumming. The vocals are big and the track has some wonderful melodic moments.
‘Send Me An Angel’ starts more atmospheric and even when it builds and gets heavier, it has that drifting by feel, even as a power ballad.
There are some great piano and guitar moments, ‘If I Had The Time’ a classic example. Some cuts bring to mind classic Deep Purple, even some vintage Scorpions.
The reworkings of the Uriah Heep tracks are interesting and in places take quite a different angle, while the rest of the work is especially focused to those listeners who want to discover Hensley’s own music from all eras.
“Rare & Timeless” is a very ‘timeless’ classic rock album indeed, including new material for long time fans and collectors, as well as strong music in this genre focused to new listeners.
It’s really enjoyable and the Heep connection adds a bonus.
Strongly Recommended
01. Free Me (rare release)
02. Send Me An Angel (previously unreleased)
03. If I Had The Time
04. Guilty
05. The Last Dance (previously unreleased)
06. Mine (previously unreleased)
07. I Did It All
08. I Close My Eyes (rare release)
09. Take & Take
10. The Return
11. Beyond The Starz
12. Fortune
13. Lady In Black (new recording)
14. The Longer Night (new track)
15. Epilogue (new track)
Ken Hensley – vocals, keyboards
Ken JR. Ingwersen – guitar
Roberto Tiranti – bass guitar
Tom Arne Fossheim – drums
BUY IT !
www.amazon.com/Rare-Timeless-Ken-Hensley/dp/B0791VZ95H
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