Tyson Leslie “Train Wrecks, Havoc & Heartbreak”
Tyson Leslie has been a vibrant part of the Kansas City music scene for over twenty years, playing in various bands now steps out of the sideman role with his debut LP.
Leslie is a rarity, a guitar shredder who actually cares about melody. The Beach Boys used to sing simply about cars and girls, and on “Little Green Honda” he updates the formula and its a damn catchy single. “Crazy All Over You” is a semi-honkey tonk road song that displays Leslie talent for amazing licks. A smooth rock duet with Lyndsey Lou is next on “She Danced Under The Lights” and “Selective Amnesia” recalls Dave Edumnds and Rockpile.
Leslie also has amazing range, from catchy pop of “Suckerfish” to epic rock ballads like “Goodbye To The Rain.” More highlights include “Wasted Time” and the Beatlesque ender “The Last Words.” I couldn’t find any weak tracks, and with precise production values I have to add this to my top ten albums list this year. A real hidden gem.
Amazon
Evil Arrows “2” EP
As a follow up to January’s “1” EP Bryan Scary is back with an Evil Arrows sequel. Scary is a distinctive voice that is immediately accessible, a rich combination of glam rock and power pop.
“Gods of Light” is a mid-60’s Stones-style tune, but at the chorus it goes into a multi-tracked, dense production of “ba-ba-ba” vocals. “Last Living Doll” is a quick tempo gem lead by staccato guitar riffs and Bryan’s playful lyrics. “A New Age Holiday” has some inventive chord shifts and “Shadow Lovers” struts along like T.Rex and is the standout track on this “side”. Between the 2 EPs, you get one of the best albums this year.
Bandcamp only