Don Airey – One of a Kind.jpg)
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http://www.donairey.com/tag/one-of-a-kind/
Rating: A
Don Airey of Deep Purple is perhaps the most famous hard rock keyboardist of all time. The one person that may top him in terms of performance, fame and innovation in the realm of the hard rock genre is the man he was handpicked to replace in DP…Jon Lord.
Don honestly was the best…and only…choice to replace the Lord! He has done much, much more than that, however. Airey has also been in bands with the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Rainbow and Gary Moore. He has recorded and performed live with dozens of other top acts as well.
Lo and behold…Don also has time to play organ in his church…and release solo albums.
The man is, like his latest album is titled truly…One of a Kind.
These days every rock nerd over the age of 35 cries out, “I wish there was new music as powerful, kick-ass and rockin’ as the music we love from the glory days.”
Well…I’ve got good news for you. There is. It is called One of a Kind by Don Airey.
One of a Kind is the album you’ve been waiting for!
That means there are tinges of Deep Purple…Rainbow…even Uriah Heep and Gary Moore all over this sucker...yet is sounds fresh, new and exciting.
To say One of a Kind simply rocks would be an understatement…this album deserves to win any Best Hard Rock Album of 2018 list…yes…it is that good!
Why do I say that about a keyboard players solo album? Because of the songs…and the performances.
This is not a simple attempt to throwback to the classic style in hopes of recapturing past glory. Nope… this is the real deal. This music is from the gut, the heart, the soul and even the crotch…just like any great hard rock album should be.
Sure…in some ways it is Retro…but it is also fresh. There are times one will swear it is 1976 and a new Rainbow or Deep Purple album has been released! Yet…you’ve never heard these songs before.
How the opening tune, “Respect” was not nabbed by Deep Purple is beyond me. The title track reminds this writer of classic Uriah Heep while “Lost Boys” mixes all of Don’s past with his present day. “Remember to Call” is mellower but contains an epic guitar piece throughout the entire tune. “All Out of Line” is another standout rocker. In fact, every song on the album is a standout tune!
This album is a masterpiece.
Joining Airey are some pretty tasty players including vocalist Carl Sentance (Nazareth,) bassist Laurence Cottle, drummer Jon Finnigan and guitarist Simon McBride.
Each man adds to the overall excellence of the album. Airey adds plenty of keys and organ flourishes too, but he does not overpower the band. Sure…this is a solo album for a great keyboardist but Don is more interested in creating the total package than just showing off.
If my description of this album…which includes 11 killer hard rockin’ tracks…is not enough to convince you to buy this sucker, then let me unload more awesome news upon you…
There is a second disc.
Don and his band crank out the Deep Purple classic “Pictures of Home” as well as two Rainbow tunes, “Since You’ve Been Gone” and “I Surrender” and the Gary Moore classic “Still Got the Blues for You.”
The songs are all live from a gig in Hamburg in 2017 and they make me want a live Blu-Ray from this band!
Maybe that will be next!
It is so refreshing to hear new progressive hard rock with a positive attitude that is every bit as good as anything Don has done before.
Knowing what Don done before done…that’s saying a lot!
Do not…repeat do not miss this release.
Go here to get this sucker...now! http://www.donairey.com/tag/one-of-a-kind/
One Of A Kind track listing:
01. Respect
02. All Out Of Line
03. One Of A Kind
04. Everytime I See Your Face
05. Victim Of Pain
06. Running Free
07. Lost Boys
08. Need You So Bad
09. Children Of The Sun
10. Remember To Call
11. Stay The Night
Bonus CD (Recorded live at Fabrik, Hamburg on March 14, 2017):
01. Pictures Of Home (originally by DEEP PURPLE)
02. Since You've Been Gone (originally by RAINBOW)
03. I Surrender (originally by RAINBOW)
04. Still Got The Blues (originally by GARY MOORE)
By Jeb “I Surrender” Wright
