A joyous guitar romp from John Kastner.
John Kastner is a new name to this reviewer but he appears to have paid his dues for quite a while. With a long history of bands and albums behind him, he has taken to branching out by himself and his debut solo record 'Have You Seen Lucky' sees a wide range of influences.
From the opener 'Kick Back' there is an immediate feel of Ozzy Osbourne such is the nasally vocals of Kastner. The vocals are warm and reach out to the listener so its not meant as a criticism but it is strongly reminiscent of everyones favourite hellraiser turned homemaker.
What is also apparent from the first song is that this is an uplifting upbeat poppy album. Realising that Kastner has recently written songs with Evan Dando comes as no surprise as a lot of elements of The Lemonheads and other bands like Dinosaur Jr come flooding through.
Crossing the melodic joy and beauty of The Beach Boys and bands of that ilk with the snottyness and energy of punk, there has always been a strong American market for this type of record. Straddling the album with fast power pop sneers and slower laid back tracks, which if being kind would be likened to Tom Petty, if we're being nasty, Bryan Adam, there is a steady flow to the record that the listener can sink into.
Theres no great or meaningful deep lyrics here and Kastner doesn't appear to be out to change the world but merely wants to have a good time and maybe find himself some peace. The guitars are loud and well up in the mix and indicate that's where Kastner gets his pleasure from.
There is a strong variance in the guitar sounds throughout the record so there is a lot for the listener to enjoy but they all come from the classic rock catalogue. From widdling noodling riffs to full-power chords and chugs, theres a little something for every guitar fan.
Even Kastner himself isn't probably expecting this record to be a hit but there is a sense of big and anthemic around this album. Perhaps 'Brilliant People' hints at a solid self confidence or perhaps its tongue in cheek but theres a self-assuredness feel to this record that could create a good buzz around it. In all honesty, its possibly came around twenty years too late to be a multi-seller and make Kastner his fortune but as a calling card for his work, it's a welcome introduction. It maybe mindless, laid back upbeat rock but it will leave a smile on your face.