Radio Drive – Walk With Me

Radio Drive – Walk With Me – Album Review

Lemme assure you folks, you don’t get to your eighteenth release without learning a few things along the way – so it’s fair to say that before you’ve even pushed play on this new album from Radio Drive that you’ve got the right to expect a level of professionalism and quality that comes from being a veteran in this music scene we share.  Kevin Gullickson, who I’m assuming is part man and part machine in order to have put out so many tunes throughout the years, has always been the engine driving this project forward…he’s a one-man band that has always known where to recruit the right help whenever he’s needed it, which is usually behind the studio boards.  In the case of Radio Drive’s new album Walk With Me, he’s enlisted a ton of talent with career credits that are mind boggling to look at…folks like Gene Paul (who needs no introduction – you KNOW that name!), Marc DeSisto (U2/Pink Floyd), Chris Garcia (Adele/Katy Perry), Robert L. Smith (Bowie/McCartney) and Steve Migliore (Taylor Swift/Justin Timberlake), in addition to other names we’ve become familiar with throughout the years as the go-to resources for the indie scene like Stuart Epps (Elton John/Led Zeppelin) and Brendan Dekora (Foo Fighters/Nine Inch Nails).  All these legendary names, combined with the real-life experience Kevin has gained throughout his many years as a professional musician and songwriter himself…I mean…that’s a whole lot of wisdom at work to help guide these new nine songs from Radio Drive, wouldn’t you say?

I like the energy and the spark that “Man Inside” presents as the album begins…it’s uplifting, and simply sounds pleasant to listen to.  The additional instrumentation that you might not be expecting, like the string sounds and such, which may or may not be synth I don’t know for sure, was an unexpected touch and a superb part of this opening tune that propels it beyond being a mere Pop/Rock song.  Sometimes you find that unique piece of the puzzle that really completes the full picture, or makes it more vibrant & vivid than you might have expected something to be, and the strings really do that here.  The piano also deserves credit in the same way when it comes to “Man Inside” as well – it’s practically in the starring role until the strings eventually find their way in.  Kevin’s sounding stellar in his lead vocals at the start as well…sincere, earnest, humble…all ingredients in his persona and performance that go a long way to support the theme and ideas at the core of what he’s singing about on “Man Inside.”  Some of the most effective hooks you’ll ever hear in music are natural, organic, and uncomplicated…I felt like Gullickson made the right call by going where the song took him to create a memorable chorus here.

“Reason And Rhyme” was a more complex and involved listening experience by comparison.  Whereas a song like “Man Inside” will probably have no real issues finding its way to listening ears, this second cut is likely going to have to do some convincing and earn your ear time.  Sure, there are pieces that you’re going to love easily…like the insatiably smooth bass lines, or the absolutely killer guitar solo that Kevin’s got for ya.  As a song itself, the staggered way it stops and starts, moving in an almost mechanical and methodical way…I dunno…my gut tells me that’s a harder sell to the people out there.  Doesn’t make it bad tune by any stretch of the imagination, just a more niche kind of cut that will appeal to some folks more than others I reckon.  For myself personally, “Reason And Rhyme” is like one of those songs that I have a hard time slipping out of my critic-mode to listen to.  Again, that’s not a bad thing – it’s merely an indication of a song that makes me want to listen to the details and clever choices made to create it as intently as I can, as opposed to simply turning it up and singing along with it – make sense?  I’m totally cool with the occasional tune taking us out of the fluidity a set list could have, where an individual song can demand to be noticed by making a series of moves that require attention, but it is surprising to find it towards the start of the album.  It’s a bit risky, but it still has Radio Drive’s signature upbeat vibe to it.

For myself personally, as a longstanding listener of Radio Drive’s music throughout the years, I’ve come to know where the songs that will appeal to my ears the most will be found by the sounds and melodies that Kevin chooses to work with.  When “Together” started up with its gentle strum & piano keys added in to guide it along, I knew I was going to be on fairly solid ground here.  To be truthful, I don’t think I’ll be the only one that feels that way either – I think the natural appeal to the start of “Together” and its verses have a ton of universal accessibility we’d all agree on.  As for the main hooks in the chorus…well – I think that’s likely the more polarizing part of this particular tune, though I appreciate the main message Kevin’s singing about.  Heck, I’d go as far as to say it’s the kind of concept that many of us – myself very much included – NEED to hear right now.  As far as I can tell from how I hear this song, “Together” is really about finding what you need in order to reach your full potential.  While it’s true that almost none of us can do what we do alone, “Together” also highlights how important it is to make sure you light the fire under your own ass as well – “only you can make a move and go.”  I like the boldness of the way he plays this song and the versatility you’ll hear in its lyricism…we’ll probably all take a little something different away from what Kevin’s singing about, but I have no doubt we’ll all find it inspiring in our own way as we relate to what he’s written in his words, “Together” has beautifully interpretive qualities to it.

“Love Beyond The Storm” is another stellar theme to work with that listeners will certainly respond to.  A song that’s all about the enduring power of love and how it’s the principle that should always be the light to guide us forward…Radio Drive is always effective when it’s drawing upon personal experience.  It’s so easy to get jaded in life, and it’s entirely natural to fall into these incredible pits of despair along the way as well.  We all need to find that beacon of hope, potential, and possibility in our own lives, don’t we?  I might not always know the right direction to go in, but I do know that anytime I let love lead the way, I’m more confident that’s the route I’m supposed to be taking.  Of course, there will be storms that threaten us as we travel on our journeys, but “love always wins,” as Kevin will remind you.  “Love Beyond The Storm” is a testament to solid songwriting, and to perseverance in general too…it’s a great reminder that nothing comes easy, and that we always need to dig in hard to become the best versions of ourselves so we can truly be proud of sharing everything with another special person in this lifetime.

From my perspective, the melodic and delicate side of Gullickson’s songwriting always connects with little to no resistance.  Right in the middle of Walk With Me, you’ll find what’s arguably one of Kevin’s most simple ideas lyrically on “Here For You,” and if you’re hearing it the same way that I am, you’ll be equally amazed by how endearing this song becomes as quickly as it does.  Don’t get me wrong – I’m usually the guy that will tell you to use your words and use your space within a song to add as many in as you can…but I’m also the same guy that will tell you to simply follow where a song is taking you.  In this instance, Gullickson draws more on repetition than he normally does, but it’s absolutely the right call to have made.  “Here For You” is a dazzling charmer…a song that’s inescapably beautiful and sincere.  It’s moments like this that you always hope to discover on a Radio Drive record, and Kevin’s usually got something like “Here For You” that will have you drop everything you’re doing to sit and listen with your complete attention.  As simple as the recipe may be, he’s used all the right ingredients to the maximum effect – I’d easily put this track right up there with the very best I’ve heard from Radio Drive to-date.

“Catch The Dream” is probably a much better example of a song that’s really well put together that didn’t quite resonate with me as strongly as the rest of these tracks have.  I can’t pinpoint what it was so much as it’s just kind of a dreamy track that floats along and almost plays like an interlude of sorts…an idea to fill the space in between other stronger ideas…I guess that’s the way I heard it.  Nothing wrong with that of course, but yeah, it just felt less consequential than the other cuts in the lineup did by comparison I suppose.  It’s well conceived and equally well composed…and heck, I’d be the first to tell you that each individual component added into the mix from the music to the vocals is well done too, but I guess I ended up feeling like “Catch The Dream” didn’t really push the album any further forward so much as it kind of kept it treading water for a moment here.  I’ll fully acknowledge that this track had the hardest spot in the lineup to fulfill in coming after “Here For You,” but at the same time, I never stopped wondering if “Catch The Dream” was doing enough to grab our attention in the way the songs surrounding it did.  You’ll have to be the judge and jury on that…maybe it’ll make more of an impact with the rest of you out there than it did with me.  It’s a completely inoffensive tune that shouldn’t warrant any complaints outta any of us, but by that same token, didn’t end up feeling too necessary to this particular lineup of songs either.  Kevin could easily write ten of these falling out of bed at night.

With this being the man’s first album in a couple years, I think we have to give Kevin a bit of space as he reconnects with the craft in the way that he had previously.  I don’t know if tracks like “Catch The Dream” or “Open Door” are what the fans of Radio Drive are tuning in for, but I also don’t pretend to speak for all of them out there around the world.  “Open Door” is a sweet departure and a rare instrumental inclusion into his catalog of songs…I enjoy it, even if I didn’t think it was an essential part of to Walk With Me.  I’m always going to believe that we have to remind ourselves occasionally that the artists and bands we love need the opportunity and freedom to stretch their wings a bit to see what else they can do, and so I think I feel like that warrants the inclusion of “Open Door” on this record.  Some of the guitar work he’s put in here is absolutely spellbinding stuff to listen to, and I felt like the melody at the core of it all was very much in line with the heart you find in Radio Drive’s tunes.  I also feel like, as artists, you gotta make some space for yourself and what YOU want to do creatively as well, without worrying too much about what the fans or listeners will think.  In that respect, I say have at’er Kevin – if making “Open Door” was satisfying to you, then that’s the only criteria you needed to include it, full stop.  It might not be the reason we rush to repeat this album, but it’s still a quality cut without a doubt.

What I think IS a little worrying, is having three tracks in a row that listeners might feel are questionable.  While I think there is no question about the quality and strengths of the songs in the first half of Walk With Me, I’ve yet to hear one in the second that hasn’t made me scratch my chin & ponder its inclusion.  “Promised Land” wasn’t the track to restore the lineup back to the greatness it presented at the start, but like all-things-Radio Drive, the execution is still there.  The rest is all just personal taste anyways ain’t it?  We all like what we like and love what we love as listeners…all you can do as an artist or band is put the best you can into what you’re doing and let the chips fall where they may.  I need a bit more outta Gullickson than what we’re finding in the second half of this record…at the very least, I feel like we need the same amount of strength and reasons to listen as this album gives you to listen to at the beginning.  Obviously, he could have spread out the lineup even further, rotating between the strongest material and tunes that didn’t quite have the same spark like “Promised Land,” but there’s still a ton of risk that is associated with that approach too in terms of an album’s listenability.  From my perspective, I think Kevin simply needs to remind himself not to settle too much and be a bit more objective about what separates a good song from a great one…that’s just my opinion.  “Promised Land” is a good song – I’m sure we’d all agree on that…but of course, when you’ve got great songs like “Together” or “Here For You” or “Man Inside” within the same lineup, then that’s the standard we’re looking for as listeners.  Nearly five minutes in length, “Promised Land” felt like an idea that was stretched far past its potential.

So here are my final thoughts as we reach the end of this new album from Radio Drive, as it concludes with “Stay Here Tonight.”  Ultimately, I think Kevin’s consistency in performance has always been one of the main reasons you want to listen to his music, and that remains to be the case here on this record as well.  Do I think that Walk With Me represents his best as an artist?  I think he’s given us a few too many reasons to question that.  After two years away, my concern is that he’s put out a record for the sake OF putting out a record…and I would have recommended waiting a bit longer for the sake of the strength in the lineup overall.  There are some amazing aspects of “Stay Here Tonight,” and of all the cuts in the second half of Walk With Me, I’d easily tell you this is the strongest track in its final four songs, even if I still wanted a bit more out of it, which I do.  I’m more than comfortable telling you that some of his lead guitar moments on “Stay Here Tonight” are worth the price of admission on their own…and I really like the more dramatic side of his songwriting he’s got on display here too, even if I still felt like there’s another ten or twenty percent of this song that’s been left on the table in terms of its true potential.  My favorite spot in this final tune is just prior to the three-minute mark, where “Stay Here Tonight” breaks down into a sparkling moment of clarity before coming back with the most noticeable intention and purpose it possesses to follow, then unleashes a brilliant guitar solo that takes us into the finale of this last cut.  Memorable hooks, excellent backup vocals as well…”Stay Here Tonight” will grow on you exponentially with each listen you put into it – and I love a track that dares to convince us like this one does.  I don’t know that it feels like a definitive conclusion to the whole set of songs, but I think that’s the trickier part about assessing Walk With Me – it’s got great moments without question, but it also doesn’t feel as complete or as comprehensive as albums we’ve heard from Radio Drive in the past either.  What’s good is great…but what Kevin might need to consider going forward at this stage of his career is whether or not an album with a little more than one strong half is what he’s aiming for.  If it takes a bit longer to create a more impactful record, then I feel like that’s the way to go, personally speaking.  When you’re as capable of greatness as Gullickson’s Radio Drive is, there’s no need to settle for anything less, right?  I like a lot of what I hear on Walk With Me, but I know he’s got more than he’s shown to us on this particular album & gotta be the guy to hold him accountable to the high standards Kevin has put into his music at his very best, and encourage him to tap back into that, whatever it takes.

Find out more about Radio Drive from the official website at:  https://www.radiodrive.net

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