ALBUM PROFILES BY MATT COLLIGAN



The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band - "how I go"


This record is simply a testament. Blues is not busy, complex, mysterious, or inaccessible. In fact, The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band has been grinding out the same pentatonic minor, guitar centric, licks for years and, although I'm seldom surprised, I am never bored. In fact, I can only hope that the subsequent catalog will remain as consistent and genuine as the former. The chemistry of the band on "How I Go" is evident by the majority of blues tracks that are confident enough to remain close to home, but the hooks are salient in world of mainstream pop, regardless of their production. The most noticeable feature, to me, is the masterful use of "call-response" licks. The element of a song that makes a feature such as this possible, regardless of genre, is space. Space allows listeners a moment to absorb what they are hearing, whether it be lyrical impact, rhythmic movement, or any other feature that captures the ear. Tasteful usage of space must be accompanied by confidence, restraint, precision, and chemistry across parts. This record is characterized by many moving parts. However, none of the parts interfere with the efficacy of preceding and subsequent parts. I'm only assuming that those of you who have or intend to purchase this record are anticipating seventeen tracks of vintage Kenny Wayne licks, and, that's exactly what you'll get. Conversely, many of you may be curious to hear life after the "Blue On Black" era, and, there are plenty of tracks that demonstrate the continuum of the blues ballad.

One consistent feature across The Kenny Wayne Shepherd catalog is the selection of cover material. The performances tend to be incredibly unique and fearless in veering off and re-creating what's already been set forth. This is particularly true of their cover of Bessie Smith's "Backwater Blues." The beginning of the track remained relatively consistent to the original, but once the band entered, the integrity of the track was more than maintained while delivering some much appreciated grit that is characteristic of the band.

- Matt Colligan






The name "Kenny Wayne Shepherd" is absolutely synonymous with "young blues guitarist" but that phrase isn't the totality of his person. Still barely in his 30s, the Louisiana born axeman and songsmith has been selling millions of albums, throwing singles into the Top 10, shining a light on the rich blues of the past and forging ahead with his own modern twist on a classic sound he has embodied since his teens. He met Stevie Ray Vaughn at 7, toured the U.S. with B.B. King at 16 and toured Europe with The Eagles at 17. As an adult, he continues to create genre-defining blues-infused rock n' roll.

The new record from The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band will be released on August 2. Titled How I Go, it not only serves as a strong reminder of the chops that caused Guitar World magazine to place him right behind B.B. King and Eric Clapton on their list of best blues guitarists, but it's the strongest indication yet of his gifted songwriting talent. The first single from the record, “Never Lookin’ Back,” is impacting at radio stations across America this week.