There have always been those musicians that have started to learn an instrument after being inspired by someone else. Whether it was to play as good as the person that inspired them, or to produce music in the style of that influence, there are many reasons for someone to pick an instrument.
English musician Kevin Curtis is one such musician that started playing after being influenced by someone else. He picked up the guitar after hearing guitarists like Jeff Beck and David Gilmour playing their music. After he learned to play the guitar, Kevin began to develop his own musical style.
Soon, Kevin was looking for more influences to add to his style of performance. It was at this point that he discovered the playing of instrumental guitarists like Joe Satriani. Having listened to guitarists like Satriani and others, Kevin started developing a desire to compose his own music.
Taking these influences, Kevin ended up creating two albums, 1994’s Living in 10 City, and 1996’s Union. With these releases, Kevin shows that he knows how to rock. But after releasing these two CDs, it would be a while before Kevin would create another one.
After a decade since the release of his last album, Kevin Curtis has finally released a new album. This new release is called Lighter Shades. The newest release by Curtis is a little different than his other albums in that the new album was created over a long period, with Kevin Curtis having composed each track on the release one song at a time. Taking the time to compose each song as its own entity gave Curtis the ability to create an album that lacked the monotony that a lot of instrumental rock albums seem to have.
Another thing that sets Lighter Shades apart from the previous releases by Kevin Curtis is that, while the new compositions still show that he knows how to write music, they also show that he can write in different styles. Each song on this release gives the listener a slightly different perspective on Kevin and his way of writing.
The songs on this album are not all in the rock vein. Some of the songs, like Those Before, are more about the melody than they are about Curtis’ ability to rock out. Those Before is a ballad-like song that brings to mind a moment of remembering. The song features Kevin in a very relaxed state of playing, letting the song itself take center stage.
While most of the album is very laid back in style and playing, there are some instances where Curtis’ ability to play is very evident. On the song Texan Man, Kevin gives the tune a very hard rockin’ quality and allows himself the chance to show the world what he can actually do with the instrument. And on Ebb and Flow, the musician slows down the pace but still proves that he can definitely hang with the best guitarists out there.
The other thing that comes across when listening to this album is the fact that Kevin Curtis is more than just a fine guitarist, he is also a fine musician that can play many different instruments. While having composed the songs on guitar, the album was fleshed out by Kevin as he also played bass, drums, and keyboards that helped add dimension to the release.
If you like instrumental rock, or instrumental music in general, Lighter Shades by Kevin Curtis is an album you need to check out. To find Kevin Curtis and his Lighter Shades album, as well as his other releases, go to his website at www.theaxemancometh.co.uk.
Reviewed By Matheson Kamin
