Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
"Never Lookin' Back," the opening track to Kenny Wayne Shepherd's first studio album in seven years, and his studio debut for Roadrunner, is a contradiction because he does exactly that, at least musically. Last time out, the guitarist experimented with a more alternative rock sound in hopes of broadening his audience. He sang lead for the first time and co-wrote all the material with new producer Marti Frederiksen (Buckcherry, Papa Roach). Not only was the album unsuccessful artistically, but the blues-rock fan base he had acquired during the previous decade stayed away in droves. Not exactly the plan. Shepherd must have been keen to win that audience back, first by releasing a 2007 live album featuring collaborations with blues legends, and now by calling back producer Jerry Harrison, leather-lunged singer Noah Hunt, and husband-and-wife songwriting team of Mark Selby and Tia Sillers, all of whom were key players in his initial flush of success. He even employs drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon, Stevie Ray Vaughan's old Double Trouble crew, to send a clear message to those alienated by his last studio disc that he has returned to a more rootsy, bluesy, and driving style. That's emphasized on the tough, riff-driven lead cut, and strong covers of the Beatles' "Yer Blues," the Albert King standard "Oh Pretty Woman," and Bessie Smith's "Back Water Blues." While guitars are prominent throughout, it's the ironclad originals -- co-written with Selby, Sillers, Zac Maloy, and Danny Tate, all with instantly memorable hooks -- that will remind the once faithful of the good old pre-2004 days. Some of the slickness that had occasionally plagued his work is in evidence here, especially with the keyboards, overdubbed guitars, and occasional backing vocalists, but in general, this is a solid, enjoyable outing that should have followed 1999's Live On. Ballads such as "Show Me the Way Back Home," with its gospel organ and soaring guitar solo, and the Hendrix/Trower vibe of the grinding "Heat of the Sun," are some of the finest in his catalog. Hunt, who sounds remarkably similar to the Smithereens' Pat DiNizio, sings with sweaty passion and commitment. His performance shows that Shepherd should never have tried to take his own lead vocals. The closing "Strut" gives the guitarist a chance to open up on a Freddie King-styled instrumental with real teeth. [Four additional tracks on the "deluxe edition" are well worth the few extra bucks, with the tough, Vaughan-ish shuffle of "Cryin' Shame" and the driving "Butterfly" being particular standouts.] This is Shepherd's finest, most focused release, and an impressive return to form.
© Hal Horowitz /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr133,33/month
Tia Sillers, Composer, Lyricist - Mark Selby, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Tia Sillers, Composer, Lyricist - Mark Selby, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
John Lennon, Composer, Lyricist - Paul Mccartney, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Tia Sillers, Composer, Lyricist - Mark Selby, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Zac Maloy, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer - AC Williams, Composer, Writer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Tia Sillers, Composer, Lyricist - Mark Selby, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Danny Tate, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Tia Sillers, Composer, Lyricist - Mark Selby, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Tia Sillers, Composer, Lyricist - Mark Selby, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Tia Sillers, Composer, Lyricist - Mark Selby, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Zac Maloy, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Bessie Smith, Composer, Lyricist - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Zac Maloy, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Tia Sillers, Composer, Lyricist - Mark Selby, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Tia Sillers, Composer, Lyricist - Mark Selby, Composer, Lyricist - JERRY HARRISON, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, MainArtist - E.T. THORNGREN, Mixer
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A., Inc.
Album review
"Never Lookin' Back," the opening track to Kenny Wayne Shepherd's first studio album in seven years, and his studio debut for Roadrunner, is a contradiction because he does exactly that, at least musically. Last time out, the guitarist experimented with a more alternative rock sound in hopes of broadening his audience. He sang lead for the first time and co-wrote all the material with new producer Marti Frederiksen (Buckcherry, Papa Roach). Not only was the album unsuccessful artistically, but the blues-rock fan base he had acquired during the previous decade stayed away in droves. Not exactly the plan. Shepherd must have been keen to win that audience back, first by releasing a 2007 live album featuring collaborations with blues legends, and now by calling back producer Jerry Harrison, leather-lunged singer Noah Hunt, and husband-and-wife songwriting team of Mark Selby and Tia Sillers, all of whom were key players in his initial flush of success. He even employs drummer Chris Layton and bassist Tommy Shannon, Stevie Ray Vaughan's old Double Trouble crew, to send a clear message to those alienated by his last studio disc that he has returned to a more rootsy, bluesy, and driving style. That's emphasized on the tough, riff-driven lead cut, and strong covers of the Beatles' "Yer Blues," the Albert King standard "Oh Pretty Woman," and Bessie Smith's "Back Water Blues." While guitars are prominent throughout, it's the ironclad originals -- co-written with Selby, Sillers, Zac Maloy, and Danny Tate, all with instantly memorable hooks -- that will remind the once faithful of the good old pre-2004 days. Some of the slickness that had occasionally plagued his work is in evidence here, especially with the keyboards, overdubbed guitars, and occasional backing vocalists, but in general, this is a solid, enjoyable outing that should have followed 1999's Live On. Ballads such as "Show Me the Way Back Home," with its gospel organ and soaring guitar solo, and the Hendrix/Trower vibe of the grinding "Heat of the Sun," are some of the finest in his catalog. Hunt, who sounds remarkably similar to the Smithereens' Pat DiNizio, sings with sweaty passion and commitment. His performance shows that Shepherd should never have tried to take his own lead vocals. The closing "Strut" gives the guitarist a chance to open up on a Freddie King-styled instrumental with real teeth. [Four additional tracks on the "deluxe edition" are well worth the few extra bucks, with the tough, Vaughan-ish shuffle of "Cryin' Shame" and the driving "Butterfly" being particular standouts.] This is Shepherd's finest, most focused release, and an impressive return to form.
© Hal Horowitz /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 17 track(s)
- Total length: 01:14:34
- Main artists: Kenny Wayne Shepherd
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Roadrunner Records
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Blues
© 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc. ℗ 2011 The All Blacks U.S.A. , Inc.
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.