Reviews
Artist:Al Staehely Album: Somewhere In west Texas
Label: Quarto Valley
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.alstaehely.com/
Through the years there have been numerous stories of musicians being ripped off by various agencies and corporations through naivety and possibly ignorance. It is therefore refreshing to come across a musician who is not only talented but an entertainment lawyer too specialising in the music industry.
Al Staehely has been making music both as a solo artist and a member of various bands since the 1970s. He was featured in Spirit, The Staehely Brothers, The Nick Gravenites/John Cipollina Band and recorded with labels such as Epic and Polydor. He took time out at one stage to concentrate on his legal career but found the pull of music too strong and now operates in a double career world. No chance of him getting ripped off then!
After a gap of about ten years, Al has now brought out a new album. A mix of country and rock, it is an uplifting foot tapping brand of music that will get the audience up and dancing at any size venue. Along with the foregoing sounds, it also contains a song that sounds as though it has come straight from the musical "Grease" entitled "Emily." I defy anyone to sit still while "What's So Hard About Love" belts out though your speakers.
Not all the songs here can be described as "go and get em." Al slows the pace right down with "Mercy Of The Moon" showing a soft and sensitive touch to his vocals. There is a really nice gentle guitar solo in this track too. It is followed by a true country belter in the superb "Long And Hard" which sounds as if it has just been sung at the Grand Ole Opry.
An album of genuine modern country sounds delivered by a guy that loves his music and is still able to transmit this joy to vinyl, for all traditionalists, after all these years.
Rory M Stanbridge
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