Richie Kotzen Peace Sign
by Alissa Ordabai
Staff Writer
On his latest album Richie Kotzen is as anxious as ever to be understood, but is also making a serious effort toward songwriting originality. His trademark retro grab bag of soul, funk, rock and blues on the one hand makes Peace Sign instantly accessible, but on the other also shows how he can break away from old patterns and engage in true self-expression. On some tracks, as on standout “Best of Times”, the old tried-and-tested formulas are redeemed by sheer melodic poeticism, on other cuts Kotzen’s soloing makes up for the lack of compositional independence, and on others originality genuinely takes precedent over familiarity.
In this sense Peace Sign resembles Kotzen’s earlier solo material – when his songwriting falls short, his remarkable solos are usually there to serve as a redeeming feature. And his soloing to this day remains unmatched – virtuosically performed, never trivial, always coming from the heart, without a single insincere gesture – just dazzling flights of inspiration he is capable to repeat track after track on pure insight following a connection with a higher realm that no-one on the current rock scene is capable of maintaining quite the way he does. In how he lets his solos unfold, how subtly he details them, how he is able to channel the essence of the moment – in all this Kotzen is a true inventor and an infinitely original musician. And while his singing is highly commendable – being finely nuanced and boasting a great range – the messages he is capable of conveying through his guitar playing offer far more scope for continuous exploration by the listener.
But before you say that all of Kotzen’s virtuosity and originality has gone into his soloing as opposed to his songwriting, there are also tracks on this album to prove you wrong. Cuts like “Your Entertainer” is one such proof. Here Kotzen deals not with clichés, but instead standard devices, parts of the syntax of earlier styles which he makes his own by breathing into them new expressive power and a new understanding of how they can be transformed to serve a deeply individual purpose.
The album, like many of its predecessors, certainly rewards the type of listener who prefers sensual gratification over cerebral pleasures, but although Kotzen often makes his listener follow easy, well-trodden paths, his sincerity, his sense of drama, his expression, and a prodigious gift as a soloist remain unmatched by any other guitarist on the scene.
A record unquestionably worth buying, Peace Sign will deliver a lot of special, if not revelatory moments – from bitter-sweet lyricism of the likes of “Lie to Me” to barnburners like “Long Way from Home”, to the sheer brilliance of guitar solos which on each track serve as windows into a different dimension. Such vivid drama – without theatricality – and such dazzling contrasts are rare in rock these days, and it is remarkable to witness how this stunning latitude of feeling can emanate from one single person.
While Kotzen’s collaborations with jazz musicians – including Greg Howe and Stanley Clarke – deliver more complex, more adventurous, and more daring compositional explorations, one shouldn’t underestimate the sheer expressive power of his solo records. Here he becomes the keeper of the flame for something which is gradually disappearing from rock as a genre, and we should probably be grateful for the fact that Kotzen is one musician who isn’t too eager to keep in step with the march of time.
Band:
Richie Kotzen – guitar, vocals, bass, drums
Dan Potruch – drums on “Long Way from Home”, “Best of Times”, “Paying Dues”, and Peace Sign”
Track Listing:
1. My Messiah
2. Long Way from Home
3. Paying Dues
4. Peace Sign
5. Best of Times
6. We’re All Famous
7. You Got Me
8. Your Entertainer
9. Catch up to Me
10. Lie to Me
11. Holding On
Label: Headroom-Inc
Online: www.richiekotzen.com
Hardrock Haven Rating: 7/10