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When you have producers like Earlimart’s Aaron
Espinoza and Jim Fairchild from Grandaddy on your
project, you know that you’ve not only been
running in the right circles, but have the musical
flair and songwriting companionship to make it well
worth their time.
Now on his second album, Peter Walker quenches
a thirst that wasn’t apparent prior to pushing
‘play.’ Chunky rumbles, dirt road
twangs (“Flagship”), bourbon doused
slide guitars, overlaid with street smart indie
melodies (“39 Stars,” “Talk
To You”) cook up a new recipe for rock ‘n’
roll goodness. No matter how many times it’s
used, the echoes of kiddie piano always give a
song that unique slice of spookiness, as is the
case with the candlelit confessions of “Don’t
Think Twice.” The perfect dive bar ballad
has to be “Sleepin’ Around,”
complete with a laid-off/college drop out mantra,
“Sleeping around / Smoking all day,”
in as gravely a growl as Walker can belt out.
For the past five or so years, the era of solo
artists has continually blasted away at the traditional
singer/songwriter’s reputation that’s
been tied closely to entertaining at cafes and
apres ski lodge hangouts. Walker and his Young
Gravity have definitely contributed ammunition
to the stockpile, breaking down barriers both
musically and lyrically through his insight into
the walls and fears of the human condition. He
asks just one simple question, “Gotta light?”
www.peterwalkermusic.com
www.dangerbirdrecords.com
-Kim Owens, April 18, 2006
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