Page 56 - BiTS_09_SEPTEMBER_2025

this set – all concerned seem to be intent on just having a ball, and the result is a
very tasty release.

Norman Darwen
Kyle Culkin – Shades of Trouble – Tonebucker
Records

(www.kyleculkin.com)

Tough lyrics delivered with bags of attitude,
grinding Rolling Stones-ish guitar, and soulful

backing vocals, the whole of the title track topped
off with a sassy sax solo. This is blues-rock…

Singer and guitarist Kyle Culkin opened for BB
King’s 80th birthday tour and has been in demand

for the last couple of decades; he has frequently
worked as guitarist for the Jeff Jensen Band. He’s
a versatile player as he demonstrates here; try

‘Stockton Romance’, which rides a blues rhythm but has a country feel to it –
Americana, I guess – and Karl Hunter’s sax playing again adds a notable touch.

‘She’s Evil’ is a funky blues (with nice sax and backing vocals again, the latter by

Jade MacRae and Bek Jensen). Many of the other tracks here hover around the
indistinct border between blues and Americana – lend an ear to the instrumental
‘Alora Rose’ – and then ‘Love You My Way’ is out-and-out Americana, whilst Robbie
Robertson’s throbbing ‘Ophelia’ is a rootsy rock performance.

It is a very listenable album all round, provided you are partial to some rock with
your blues and Americana. It finishes on a real high with a fine gospel- and
soul-inflected cover of John Hiatt’s ‘Have A Little Faith In Me’.

Norman Darwen

Merel Van De Keer – Freetown – Indepen-
dent (Single)
(www.merelvandekeer.com)

One woman band Merel recorded this more than
five minutes long digital single release live in the
studio as she sings and plays resonator guitar, bass

drum and snare drum on her first release since her
EP ‘Ghost In The Storm’ released in September
2022. It’s a raw-sounding invitation to “get your

ass on the Greyhound”, with touches of Skip James
in the overall feel - well until the mood gets
tougher as the song picks up, hitting a strong