Kollman, Jeff: 2023 A.D.

I first heard of Jeff Kollman when I had the opportunity to review 2021’s East of Heaven. At the time I had no clue that Kollman had such a wealth of solo material in addition to his great bands Cosmosquad and Edwin Dare, combined with a resume that includes playing with Alan Parsons, Glenn Hughes, Robin Zander and others.

I’m immediately struck by Kollman’s tone, clean or dirty, it’s to die for! Kollman is the real deal, this is a guy that owns the guitar and can do what he pleases with it. The title track is a beautiful tribute to Jeff Beck, simple and perfect. If you enjoy this tribute, some of the other subtle cuts here include “Self Reflection�, “Long Lonely Winter� and “Cosmic Dust� (featuring Jimmy Johnson) all tastefully done. In addition, his acoustic work on “Two Years Ago Today� is fantastic, it leaves you wanting more. “Layers� shows Kollman’s ability to write catchy songs, this is one that stuck with me after the first listen.

You want thick heavy riffs , “Tribal Scream� and “Tongs & Thongs� (featuring Red Hot Chili Pepper Chad Smith) are heavy guitar driven rock. Listen closely to those swells in the background during “Tribal Scream�, as great as the in your face parts are, I love hearing all the little extra surprises that are floating throughout. His soloing is expressive and explosive, he gives you the best of both worlds. “Battle of the Bulge� might feature my favorite guitar solos on the record, love the harmony guitar lines. “Lullaby For My Love� and “Blues For Miles� will perk your ears up with tasteful bends combined with a delicate touch, and the subtle piano playing is the cherry on top.

Instrumental music is often a challenge as most people latch on to the vocal melody. As much as this album appeals to the guitarist in me, I’m confident that plenty of people would dig these songs if only they got to hear them.

Track List:
1. 2023 A.D.
2. Tribal Scream
3. Tongs & Thongs (feat. Chad Smith)
4. Layers
5. Lullaby For My Love
6. Battle Of The Bulge
7. Self Reflection
8. Cosmic Dust (Feat. Jimmy Johnson)
9. Dark Lord Day
10. Long Lonely Winter
11. Two Years Ago Today
12. Blue For Miles

Added: July 1st 2024
Reviewer: Eric Porter
Score:
Related Link: Artists @ Bandcamp
Hits: 678
Language: english

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