ROLLINGEXILE – Shadow Hero
TRACKLIST:
- Nevada Midnight (4’46)
- New York Heat (3.40)
- Where Do We Go (4.16)
- Shadow Hero (3.03)
- Miss You (3.46)
- Love and Glory (4.12)
- Mirage (5.14)
- Take Me Down (3.01)
- Highway 55 (4.54)
- When You Love Someone (3.48)
MUSICIANS:
Charlie Hallinan – Rhythm, Electric & Acoustic Guitars. All Vocals & Backing Vocals
Second Guitar Solo Love and Glory
Miranda Gonzaga – Bass Guitar
Nevada Midnight / Shadow Hero
Federico Bianco – Lead, Rhythm, Electric & Acoustic Guitars
All tracks except When You Love Someone
Rory Smith – Drums Percussion
All tracks except When You Love Someone
Leonardo Landini – Bass Guitar
Love and Glory / Take Me Down / Miss You / Where Do We Go
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Alessio Garavello – Acoustic Guitar Solo When You Love Someone
Andrea Lonardi – Bass Guitar Highway 55 / Mirage / New York Heat
Tommy Brundage – Harmonica Love and Glory
RECORDING CREDITS:
Alessio Garavello – Produced / Engineered / Mixed / Mastered
Charlie Hallinan – Co-Producer
Recorded – Rogue Studios Wembley
All Songs & Lyrics written by Charlie Hallinan
REVIEW:
After the release of 2017’s successful ‘Hardline’ album, ROLLINGEXILE return with probably their most sincere work to date, 2019 is a good year, 2019 is the year of the ‘Shadow Hero’.
It has been a busy couple of years for the band, what with promoting the ‘Hardline’ album plus several busy jaunts on the European Tour circuit. The writing was on the wall for the new releases when ROLLINGEXILE released the ‘Reflection’ EP earlier this year. The EP contained two new tracks (‘Nevada Midnight’ and ‘Shadow Hero’), plus a remix of the ‘Hardline’ album classic ‘Good Morning London’ and the original version of the ‘Hardline’s’ ‘I Sit and I Wonder’. Both of the new tracks sounded great, so I sat and I wondered (pun intended) about the new album with genuine excitement’
Recorded at Rogue Studios Wembley, ‘Shadow Hero’ comes across as a more honest work than it’s two predecessors. It has a more ‘live’ feel to it, a bit of a ‘back to basics’ vibe.
The album begins with the familiar ‘Nevada Midnight’. I still love the guitar that leads throughout this track. It dances around you in a majestic and enticing way. The mood changes for ‘New York Heat’ The emotion in Charlie’s voice as he pleads for help is beautiful. ‘Where Do We Go’ has an almost Spanish feel to it, with it’s gentle acoustic guitar and such an exquisite solo. Title track ‘Shadow Hero’ just gets straight into it. The thumping drum beat and haunting vocals will have you clapping and singing along in no time. The reflective ‘Miss You’ slows things down a little as Charlie sings of regret and loss that can only come with ‘being there’. ‘Miss You’ is a solid number that has all the right ingredients to be a modern classic.
My personal favourite is next, the anthemnic ‘Love and Glory’. The track begins quietly and builds quite intensley as you get drawn in to the whole experience. The hair tingling moment of the album comes in at 2 mins 50 sec as the harmonica solo kicks in at just the right time (I actually raised my hand in the air at that moment) and the interplay with the stunning guitar solo is sublime. Chunky rocker ‘Mirage’ commands a listen and would make a worthy single. It’s rocking beat, both steady and assertive, drives this number along delightfully. ‘Take Me Down’ delivers a seductive three minutes of contemplation and admission in a balladesque way that ROLLINGEXILE are so good at.
‘Highway 55’ is another strong track that just flows along and conveys a message of beautiful memories. I love the way that Charlie knows just what to add and what to leave out on tracks like this. The album ends with ‘When You Love Someone’. A song that wouldn’t be out of place on many a successful artist’s album. It is quite stripped down and stunning because of this. A truly wonderful number to finish on.
If you are looking for a record with emotion, well written songs and excellent musicianship then ‘Shadow Hero’ is well worth seeking out. The band are touring in support of the album throughout 2019/20 in Europe and the USA. Be there, you won’t regret it.
Pete Devine 2019
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