By now most people think I probably only review stuff that is in the genres I tend to gravitate towards, and while that’s true I try not to do that consciously, it just so happens that 9 times out of 10 when I turn on my iPod to start reviewing stuff I get sucked into something else and forget what I was gonna do. So finally I have something that maybe for a wider demographic than my usual review. Please let me present to you, my loyal reader: Kickhunter.
From checking out their website I’ve come to the conclusion that they are German, usually I’m more accustomed to Einstruzende Neubauten for German music but this here is a whole other ball of wax. When the “CD” (I say CD because would it sound weird to say MP3 download of the CD?) kicks in my ears are treated to some Hammond B-3 love. Oh and I do mean love on this record. Kickhunter is what I would call a very honest rock and roll experience. Their love of classic rock is so evident that from the opening riff of this record I’m instantly transported back to the late 70′s early 80′s of rock.
It’s all here from 70′s riffing to 80′s hair metal type ballads. This album could easily fit right into anyone’s collection that loves Bon Jovi, Enuff Z Nuff or some of Brett Michaels more ballad driven stuff. The album does have great production on it too. The drums are clean and well done, the double kick is easily my favorite part of the record, and the guitar tones are great as well. Strong production on this leaves a great taste in mouth quite honestly. This isn’t something I would normally be drawn to, but it’s done extremely well.
The vocals are something though that takes me out of it a little bit. Our lead crooner here often times sounds a bit too much like the bands of the mid to late 80′s a little too hair metal for me and not enough of the 70′s rock and blues vibe that the band often seems to drift towards. That’s not to say that his vocals aren’t strong, quite the contrary, I’m sure fans of AC/DC would be all over this guys voice, but for me it’s just not my cup of tea. The female vocals on the record are solid too, a smokey, blues filled image comes to mind when I hear her sing on this record, it’s not until the misguided cover of Blondie’s “Call Me” that I think the band misses their mark and actually takes away from the record as a whole. In this writer’s opinion they could have picked a million different songs to cover and come out with a better end result than the Blondie song, it just doesn’t translate well to the genre they are working in, especially when you consider Blondie was a reaction to the stagnation of radio.
All in all Kickhunter’s All In is a rather enjoyable piece of music that I would like to highly suggest to fans of Classic Rock, KCRR, Bon Jovi, Poison, Lynard Skynard and others of that nature, it’s a rocking good time!
Kickhunter - All In
Visit Kickhunter on the WEB!
Posted under Uncategorized
