Kira Mac – ‘One Way Ticket’, ‘Dead Man Walking’ and Others

Formed after a chance meeting in Manchester in 2018 and featuring members from different areas of England, Kira Mac is simultaneously the name of the band and the singer herself. ‘Kira’ is actually called Rhiannon Kira Hill… so perhaps there’s a connection with Fleetwood Mac somewhere along the line… but I digress! Kira is no stranger to the music business having previously released music and performed at venues such as the O2 Arena in London but this is her first effort with Kira Mac, the band! Along with lead guitarist Joe Worral, as well as Alex, Bret and Cal on rhythm and percussion, the band is described as “straight up old school blues rock riffs with a modern edge, a lot of flare, soul and double shot of rock n roll”! That’s quite a description… but by God, it catches your attention and makes you want to check out the music! So, it’s a good job that Kira Mac have an album planned for release in October, preceded by a few singles… and I’m privileged to have been given the opportunity to listen and review these singles right here, right now! I think it’s fair to say that it’s a kind of Rockfiend exclusive and will be a good indicator of what to expect from the album later in the year.

The first single ‘One Way Ticket’ is due to be released on 4th March, with second single ‘Dead Man Walking’ scheduled for 15th April. If all goes to plan, I believe ‘Mississippi Swinging’, ‘Imagine’ and ‘Hit Me Again’ will all be released further down the line, culminating in the debut album in October. Add in some music videos and gigs and it fair to say 2022 will be a busy year for Kira Mac! But are they really a band that’s built on “twinning powerhouse vocals and a killer guitar lead”? Read on to find out…

First single ‘One Way Ticket’ starts with a distant sounding bluesy guitar riff that is quickly joined by a simple bass drum beat before exploding into a full-on heavy, head-bopping intro that stays true to the original lone riff. As Kira’s vocals are introduced in the verse, it’s clear that they are something special; bluesy but still soulful. Rocking but still clear and concise. The chorus is sing-along catchy with some great delayed backing vocals and an intricate, repeating lead guitar riff lower in the mix that points towards the feel of the guitar solo that comes later. Lyrically, the song is about following your dreams, no matter how outlandish or unlikely they appear to others, so in many ways, it’s a subject we can probably all relate to in one way or another. If this track is Kira Mac starting to follow those dreams, then it’s a damn good start! For reference, try Black Stone Cherry with a female vocalist and you won’t be a million miles away. This is a track that could do very well on commercial rock radio and with a glitzy music video also due for release at the same time, fingers crossed that it gets the success it deserves.

Second single ‘Dead Man Walking’ starts in a similar manner to the first, with a sludgy, distorted Tom Morello-esque guitar riff that bursts to life when the power chords, bass and drums join in. The riffing continues behind the vocals in the verse, sounding like Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler in the mid-2000s ‘Heaven and Hell’ era, with Kira’s vocals being decidedly more forceful and dare I say it, angrier, on this track. When she sings “You can try to run. You can try to hide”, you really feel as if she’s addressing you and as she spits “You’re just a dead man walking”, you actually feel as if she means that she’ll catch up with you some day! The chorus employs similar background vocals as the first track and the vocals in the bridge section really provides Kira with an opportunity to showcase her full range. Overall, this is a tougher and broodier track that’s probably nearer to metal than hard rock in places but retains a bluesy foundation.

With a title such as ‘Mississippi Swinging’, it should be no surprise that the opening riff is…well… swinging! Following the template of the first two singles, the guitar riff starts alone before being joined by the rest of band. If Lynyrd Skynyrd were a lot heavier, there’s a possibility that they’d sound something like this, such is the Southern Rock vibe to this track. There are nods to Alabama, Tennessee and whiskey (not whisky, as we’re talking about the American version!), so the ingredients of a great Mississippi song are all there and there’s absolutely a touch of country in Kira’s vocal phrasing and general performance. I dare you to listen to this without tapping your feet, bopping your head or pumping your fist, such is the infectiousness of the track. I can see this one being a lot of fun in a live setting.

‘Imagine’ hits the ground running from the outset. No lone guitar riff to open on this occasion! A growl from the bass, a hit on the snare and it’s straight into a frenzy of wonderful noise! There’s a pop-rock feel to this track but the vocals remain faithfully bluesy, so along with the catchy guitar melody, it’s almost like a modern-sounding Rolling Stones! Even the “woo hoo hoo” backing vocals have that Stones vibe! This is by far the most upbeat sounding of all the songs and certainly creates a feeling of happiness and good-vibe endorphins when listening.

In a similar manner, ‘Hit Me Again’ is straight out of the traps without giving you a chance to take a breath. It’s three and half minutes of pure adrenaline and sweaty, party-time rock ‘n roll! The ever so slight distortion in Kira’s vocals is a perfect match for the feel of the song and the short but heavy breakout section and guitar solo at the bridge is exactly what the song needs to slow it down a bit before the chorus plays out to the end. Exhilarating stuff indeed!

It's always good to hear new music from older, established rock bands… but you can’t beat that feeling of hearing great new music, from new bands for the first time. It makes you feel like the Christopher Columbus of the music world, searching for the next great band in your life and desperate to showcase your new discovery to your peers. That how I felt when I listened to these tracks by Kira Mac! Kira’s voice is as powerful and flawless as any vocalist I’ve heard in recent years, whether she’s sounding dirty and bluesy, emotional and soulful or all out rocker! She gives Lzzy Hale a good run for her money whilst Joe, Alex, Bret and Cal successfully create the muscular, riffing sound of modern rockers such as Black Stone Cherry and Shinedown whilst remaining faithful to a foundation of blues. If the upcoming album is even half as good as these singles, it’ll be another welcome shot in the arm for new rock music. Is it really “blues rock riffs with a modern edge”? You bet it is!

Check out Kira Mac online at www.kiramac.com and on Facebook and Instagram for more news on the single release dates, music videos, gigs and merchandise. The singles will be released on the usual digital music platforms.