Murray Hockridge & Dave Kilminster – Closer to Earth
Killer Guitar Records
www.closertoearth.com
Rating: B
Dave Kilminster is best known as the guitarist for Roger Waters. Yep, it is Davey boy standing atop that giant wall during Waters live performances of the Pink Floyd epic album. What, then, is Dave doing with some guy named Murray making an acoustic album of pop covers?
We will let Dave explain, “This is essentially an album of acoustic covers, where we’ve taken some songs that we love and reconstructed them in a unique way. Also, it’s an interesting format too, as I can’t think of another acoustic duo where they both play guitar, sing lead vocals and throw in some crazy soloing too!”
Murray has a three-octave voice that really shines on this album. One can’t listen to these two dudes take on a song like “Father Figure” yes… that poppy crappy song that drove us all CRAZY on MTV when George Michaels sang it…and go, “DAMN, THAT MURRAY DUDE CAN F-ING SING!”
As good as Dave is on guitar…and as much as I, personally, love guitar and tend to focus on music with guitars and say things like, “Vocals in rock only exist to break up guitar solos” even I must admit, “DAMN, THAT MURRAY DUDE CAN F-ING SING!”
Murray can also talk: “The creative potential when you find this kind of chemistry is truly open ended,” enthuses Murray (vocals, rhythm guitar & production), “there are so many combinations of instruments and voicings we can call on, both in the studio and on stage – there are no limits.”
Just who is Murray? Dave…tell us the poop…”I met Murray a couple years ago, and just thought that he had the most incredible voice…and so one day we decided to jam together, and there was this instant magical connection… It’s almost like ESP! We always have such a great time playing together too, and the audience can sense that…and there’s literally no limits to the directions we can take the songs in when we’re improvising.
“I am so incredibly proud of this album… It is definitely one of the best things I’ve ever done. If you’re tired of hearing auto tuned, computer generated bleepy crap on the radio, then this really is the perfect answer.”
This is a great album that is surprising in its purity and genuine approach…and features a great vocalist…oh and that Dave guy…he’s pretty good as well.
From REM, to Steely Dan, to Elton John, to Cyndi Lauper and beyond, this album will both surprise and satisfy. Where most covers albums tend to be longwinded and boring, these two major dudes keep things both musical and interesting. They even have the balls to take on Roger Waters with “Wish You Were Here.” And, boy howdy, it doesn’t suck!
Track Listing
Losing My Religion
Rocket Man
Father Figure
I’m Not in Love
Street Spirit
Brown Eyed Girl
Any Major Dude Will Tell You
Hallelujah
Sara Smile
Time After Time
Wish You Were Here
To purchase Murray Hockridge & Dave Kilminster ‘Closer To Earth’ CD:
http://www.cherryred.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=4221
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/closer-to-earth/id678227357
For more information:
http://closertoearth.com/
http://www.murrayhockridge.com/
http://www.davekilminster.com/
