Kiefer Sutherland – Reckless & Me (BMG)
Kiefer Sutherland - Reckless & Me
Release Date: 26th April 2019
I’ve had this album on repeat all
day and not only have the songs wormed their way in to my affections, they have
also impressed with their polished completeness. Sutherland may be better known
for acting and tearing the 80s a new one but he is quickly gaining huge respect
for his musical output and song writing so if you’ve yet to have the pleasure
then this is a great entry point. ‘Reckless & Me’ opens up with a truly
American lament in the shape of ‘Open Road’ full of gruff vocals, heartbreak,
homesickness and the life on the road of a trucker. Now, ‘Something You Love’
is an inspiring, Springsteen-esque track about following dreams before it’s too
late told through the story of meeting up with an old friend to talk over their
lives. If you need to get out of your slump and find a path then this might
just be the soundtrack you’ve been waiting for to give you the kick up the ass
you need.
The love of a comfortable and entwined relationship is
explored on ‘Faded Pair Blue of Jeans’ with a gentle, Bryan Adams inspired
melody and lyrics like “I watched you sleeping in my old G’n’R T-shirt, in the
morning sun you looked so good it hurt” making this a modern country classic. Title
track ‘Reckless & Me’ is a rabble rousing blues stomp with some dirty
guitars and Sutherland in Wild West inspired mood while ‘Blame It On Your
Heart’ starts out like a honky-tonk jam before settling in to a blues inspired
and gloves-off attack on a woman what done him wrong. My favourite track on the
album is ‘This Is How It’s Done’ which rides the wave of a chugging organ riff
before barrelling in to a spit’n’sawdust bar spoiling for a fight – all dust,
whiskey and missing teeth.
The story telling on ‘Agave’ is excellent (as is the guitar
playing) and really convinces me that this whole album could easily be the
soundtrack to a Young Guns III where the illegitimate offspring of the long
dead cowboys get together for one last heist. ‘Run to Him’ has that whiskey bar
vibe with some wonderfully soulful backing vocals and then we get in to a
hugely emotional final pairing. First up is ‘Saskatchewan’ which tells the
story of Kiefer returning to his mother’s native town in Canada to lay her to
rest with real heart, emotion and a sense of loss that would have made his
momma proud. The final track is reserved for his baby girl as we get treated to
a Cash-esque acoustic lament on ‘Song for a Daughter’ which will bring a tear
to any parent’s eye. This is a hugely accomplished, polished, heartfelt and
fat-free album that is as authentic as they come. Sure, Sutherland has a head
start in the recognition stakes but he isn’t taking any other shortcuts, no
siree. This is the real deal.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/KieferSutherland/
Live Dates:
29th May – 3TEN Austin City Limits Live, Austin
31st May – Billy Bob’s Texas, Fort Worth
3rd June – Knuckleheads Saloon, Kansas City
21st July – Sage, Gateshead
22nd July – SWX, Bristol
23rd July – Concorde 2, Brighton
28th July – STIMMEN-Festival, Lorrach
29th July – Conrad Sohm, Dornbirn
3rd October – Gruenspan, Hamburg
4th October – Heimathafen Neukolln, Berlin
7th October – Bierhubeli, Bern
8th October – Technikum, Munich
9th October – Die Kantine – Yard Club, Cologne
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