Kickhunter All In
by Mark Allen
Staff Writer
If you get your jollies from the retro sound of classic late 70s/early 80s rock ‘n’ roll, then Kickhunter will be the musical equivalent of Viagra. Anyone who enjoys wah-wah guitars, four on the floor beats, boogie-blues rhythms, Hammond organ theatrics, and a fun-loving vibe needs to hunt this album down like a good ol’ southern boy hunting down the rootin’, tootin’ SOB that chopped off his mullet while he was passed out drunk on the couch.
Things kick off with the AC/DC-inspired “Mine All Mine” and then proceed to channel the spirits of Aerosmith, ZZ Top, Alabama, and bands of that nature. It’s barroom rock, the kind of stuff made to be played in smoke-hazed roadhouses where the beer is cheap, brawls are considered wholesome entertainment, and the parking lot is loaded with mud-spattered pickup trucks and primer-spackled Camero IROC-Zs driven by blue-collar workers with dirt under their nails and hammer loops on their jeans that are functional rather than fashionable.
Dennis Ward’s production is impeccable, as crisp and clear as the dinner bell ringing on grandpa’s farm on a cool autumn evening. The components are each allowed room to breathe, no single instrument overpowering the others; despite this undeniably being a guitar-driven affair, the Hammond organ pumps out its distinctive punctuation, the honky-tonk piano pops up from time to time, the bass (courtesy of Markus Grosskopf of Helloween fame) rumbles along to provide a muscular foundation, and the drumming displays some nice flair. The finishing touch on the band’s style is the frequent utilization of female backing vocals that some might find a bit off-putting but serve their intended purpose of making this release sound like it came out thirty years ago.
Front-man Jorg “JC” Wesenberg is a bit of a vocal chameleon, one moment doing a reasonable Brian Johnson impression, the next veering off into Geddy Lee territory, and other times content to simply sing like he’s not trying to imitate anybody in particular. Lead vocal duties are occasionally shared by Melanie Black, with additional assistance from “Ela,” and if neither gal blows you away with their vocal power, they don’t do the songs any disservice either.
The songs themselves show a wide and welcome range, from the full-tilt rock of “Revolution” to the Skynard-esque ballad “Feels Like Home” to the covers of Victory’s “Check’s in the Mail” (featuring Herman Frank on guitars) and Blondie’s “Call Me” to the Pink Floyd-wannabe “Ocean.” The hooks are a bit on the simple side, but that’s okay and by design; this is straight-up, boogie-your-butt-off rock ‘n’ roll, not an intricate progressive metal project.
Bottom line, if you’re a fan of this classic, bluesy, retro rock sound, you shouldn’t need a kick in the pants to go out and buy this album. It’s fun, simple, feel-good music that never really goes out of style. Admittedly, there’s not too many bands cranking out this kind of stuff anymore, but among those that do, Kickhunter ranks right up there with the best of ‘em.
Genre: Classic rock
Band:
Markus Grosskopf (bass)
Rollie Feldmann (guitar)
Karsten Kreppert (drums)
Stefan Aurel (guitar)
Ansas Strehlow (Hammond)
Jorg “JC” Wesenberg (vocals)
Melanie Black (vocals)
Ela (background vocals)
Track Listing
1. Mine All Mine
2. Revolution
3. Another Tear
4. Feels Like Home
5. All In
6. Shy Shy Shy
7. Check’s in the Mail
8. Boogie Town
9. Deep in My Heart
10. Call Me
11. Ocean
AFM Records
Hardrock Haven rating: 7/10