KEN HENSLEY - Love & Other Mysteries (2012)

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For those who do not know, specially the youngs, English born KEN HENSLEY joined the mystical group Uriah Heep in 1969 and left in 1980.
Keyboard player (especially Hammond organ), guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer, Ken was part of rockers Blackfoot before starting a solo career during which he participated in many musical projects.
After his autobiographical CD 'Blood On The Highway' five years ago, this veteran musician is back with "Love & Other Mysteries".

"Love & Other Mysteries" is a laid back album, plenty of acoustics and sweet, soft melodies.
He explains; "No-one is free from emotion and its effects. No one. I am a poet and songwriter with the dreams and ambitions of an 11-year-old boy still running rampant in my heart.
The songs on this CD came to me as naturally as breathing, from the source I have always believed in and in which I now believe more strongly than ever. I think this CD represents a very positive shift in my musical focus and for me it is exciting to travel new and unexplored territory.
It must be every songwriter's dream to be able to make a record in this way. I know it was mine. The lyrics are the single most important thing on this album and it is these words that were permitted to produce and guide the direction of the album”.

"Love and Other Mysteries" sees Ken joined by guest vocalists from different origins, including Glenn Hughes, Santra Salkova, Sarah Rope, Irene Forniciari & Roberto Tiranti.
Perhaps Hensley should not worry about his voice: for all its current limitations, only Ken himself is able to truly inhabit these songs like he does, softly, like in "Eyes (The Girl In The Purple Dress)" or in the melodic opener "(This) Bleeding Heart".
Anyway, the guests add variation and refinements to the songs.
"(Please) Tell Me When", well delivered by Sarah Rope, comes only with a Hammond line and slide guitar.
Glenn Hughes and Santra Salkova bring sterling emotions to the dramatic ballad "Romance", but "No Matter" performed by Irene Fornaciari & Roberto Tiranti fail to convey the feelings inherent to this author's work.

The slide-oiled lift of "Come To Me" is classic Hensley, though - when in romantic mood, at the piano and organ, like here and in "(This) Bleeding Heart", Ken drives his MOR message home.
Roberto Titanti's honeyed pipes render "Respiro Tu Amor" quite well, and on the strings-drenched "Little Guy" and "No Matter", his soulful duets with Irene Fornaciari are a somehow operatic.
But if in "This House" it's the instrumental wrapping - rather than Ken's singing - that holds melodic focus, the acoustic vivacity makes the countrified "Walk Away" an irresistible offer.


Hensley never has followed any trends or a specific genre since he went solo 30 years ago. With this new recording he will surprise many of his fans, for good or wrong.
"Love & Other Mysteries" is a laid back album full of calm moments and breezy melodies. The prog elements are sparingly and the hard rock edge of previous works is gone.
But that's not necessarily a bad thing, this is the kind of album he wanted to do, and it's a good one regarding the styles.
Interesting.


01 - (This) Bleeding Heart
02 - Romance
03 - (Please) Tell Me When
04 - No Matter
05 - Come To Me
06 - This House
07 - Walk Away
08 - Eyes (The Girl In The Purple Dress)
09 - Respiro Tu Amor
10 - Little Guy


Ken Hensley / Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar, Percussion

Guest vocalists:
- Glenn Hughes & Santra Salkova / lead vocals (2)
- Sarah Rope / lead vocals (3), backing vocals
- Irenere Fornaciari / lead vocals (4, 10), backing vocals
- Roberto Tiranti / lead vocals (4, 9, 10), backing vocals
- Claudia Flores / backing vocals

Musicians:
- Pau Schafer / pianos & accordion
- Juan Carlos Garcia / drums
- Antonio Fidel / bass guitars
- Ovido Lopez / principal guitars
- Dani Saiz / guitar, backing vocals
- Matt Dela Pola / string arrangements
- Paco Garcia / classical guitar
- Angel Diaz / percussion
- Armando Garcia, Herbert Perez Jones, Lesste Meija Ercia, Romany Cana Flores, Patxi Urchegui / strings



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KEN HENSLEY & Live Fire - Faster (2011)

bonus track edition


London born Kenneth (Ken) Hensley wrote rock history with Uriah Heep during the era of albums such as ‘Salisbury’, or the acclaimed ‘Demons And Wizards’.
‘Lady In Black’, ‘Easy Livin’, ‘Look at Yourself’, ‘Free Me’ or ‘Stealin’ – were all written or co-written by Hensley.
There is little doubt that the Hammond-organist, guitarist and singer played a key role in the success story of the band he finally left in 1980, not happy with the musical directions they were choosing at the time.
After trying to put a new band together, the short lived UK act Shotgun, he formed the first Ken Hensley Band in the US, before joining Jacksonville's southern rockers Blackfoot for a two album stint.

By the mid-90s, Hensley was ready to push forward and since then he has been weaving the old magic once again
His new album "Faster" is proof positive of that. Hensley has lost nothing of his magical touch.
Live Fire is the Norwegian live backing-band Hensley has been working with for five years now and is comprised of Tom Arne Fossheim on drums, Sid Rinsby on bass, Ken Ingwersen on guitar, and Eiríkur Hauksson next to Ken Hensley as singer.
Recorded in Riga, Latvia, "Faster" offers everything you would expect from a classic Ken Hensley record – and more.

Opening up with the mystical and mesmerizing melodic rock of "Set Me Free (From Yesterday)", Hensley & Live Fire deliver the goods as well as setting the tone for an album that is nothing short of strong songwriting, excellent harmonies, hooks and pure playfulness.
Songs like the classic rock ballad "I Cry Alone" or "Katrine" also shows Hensley's songwriting approach as a serious storyteller.
"My friend and co-producer Danny has lost in a house fire his wife and three year old son. I was wondering, how will he cope with that. It was then that said that to properly process it at all this may just have to cry alone for themselves. This sentence no longer get out of my head and that was the trigger for this song" says Ken.

Title track "Faster" is a good-humored speed rocker, driven by Hensley's secret passion; Formula One races. "The engine noise you can hear at the beginning of the song come from genuine Ferrari engines, which was taken by our sound man a few years ago at the Hockenheim Ring."
"The End Of Never" and "(At) The Last Minute" are both catchy and melodic tunes, while "Slippin’ Away (The Lovers Curse)" is a great midtempo with excellent backing vocal arrangements.
"Beyond The Starz" is the only track on the album with some progg influences, featuring an amazing punchy guitar solo at the end of the song.
"Somewhere In Paradise" has tons of melody, with very good guitars by Hensley and Ingwersen, and shows clearly Hauksson abilities as vocalist.
An expression of energy and driving force is also the final piece of the album, the melodic rock anthem "Fill Your Head (With Rock)". "I read many comments from people who say that rock'n'roll is dead, on the other side I play on so many festivals, where people rocks out like crazy. Rock is far from dead. I like the energy of this song and its message: Let's just purely the Rock".
Bonus track "Circle Of Hands", recorded live with The Norwegian Radio Orchestra, is a superb sympho infused composition full of class and good taste.


"Faster" is a very good melodic rock album, with great melodies and an organic sound.
Ken himself said that he wanted to make an album with a 'band feel', the way it used to be, and with this new recording he has achieved it.
All the musicians of Live Fire are terrific and energetic, production is crisp and clear with a very classy approach.
"Faster" shows that Hensley’s head and soul are still full of rock, and hopefully will be for quite some more albums and shows to come.
Recommended.


01 - Set Me Free (From Yesterday)
02 - The Curse
03 - I Cry Alone
04 - Katrine
05 - Faster
06 - Slippin' Away (The Lover's Curse)
07 - The End Of Never
08 - Beyond The Starz
09 - (At) The Last Minute
10 - Somewhere (In Paradise)
11 - Fill Your Head (With Rock)
12 - Circle Of Hands (with The Norwegian Radio Orchestra) [bonus]


Ken Hensley – vocals, keyboards, guitars
Eirikur Hauksson – vocals, guitar
Ken Ingwersen - lead guitar, backing vocals
Sid Ringsby - bass, backing vocals
Tom Arne Fossheim - drums
The Norwegian Radio Orchestra (12)



www.ken-hensley.com
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