Richie Kotzen – 'Nomad'

There’s no waste here. Eight tracks running at just shy of thirty-five minutes. That still leaves plenty of time for Kotzen to flex his fingers over his guitars and every other instrument as this is a real one man show. Recorded by, written by, produced by, played by, and sung by Kotzen.

One thing I’ve come to realise over the years is that Kotzen really knows how to get an album up and running. He does that on ‘Nomad’ with the song ‘Cheap Shots.’ The track swaggers into view with a Stone’s like guitar riff and then Kotzen’s vocals cover the guitars in a soulful sound. The second verse strips everything back to bare bones and then Kotzen solos through the middle, dripping notes in his wake as fingers pluck the strings. A final flourish through the chorus again and then out into...

‘These Doors.’ Kotzen gets the funk out on this track. There’s a real Paisley Park feel to this and the way it mashes funk/rock together with some excellent bass playing reminds me of how good Prince was on guitar. The guitars get beautifully fuzzy through the solo and the track just gets increasingly soulful as it grooves away.

There’s night and day between the verses and choruses of ‘Insomnia.’ It comes in on the sort of fuzzed out southern shuffle that ZZ Top have a trademark on before the verse goes for the gut, deep bass, menacing with low vocals and spoken parts. The sun appears over the horizon with a chorus. Kotzen drops another excellent solo here, effortlessly creating more shade on the track.

The title track of the album comfortable clocks in as the epic track at just over six minutes. Riding in on an almost middle eastern vibe, rolling drumbeats and more great bass playing. Like ‘Insomnia’ before it it’s another song of opposites. The playing in the verses in playful, evocative, atmospheric, take your pick, but Kotzen takes us into the chorus with clean diamond edged chords ringing out. Out of the chorus and into more playfulness, there a moment that sounds we’ve entered rockabilly styles, another gift of a solo and then a spoken, scat-like section that adds another layer. Obviously with all the movements and moments this track was both ‘Nomad’ by name and nature.

You could blink and miss ‘Escape.’ By comparison to ‘Nomad’ it’s brief and simple but that’s not to say it lacks its own merits. Kotzen delivers one of his best vocal performances of the piece on this track. The range that he finds here sees him going through ruff rocker, soul soaring to a peak that I hope didn’t leave him hoarse for a few days after. Dramatic and emotional and beautifully textured delivery from him. It feels like he was smart enough to see how well the vocal delivers what this track needs and by Kotzen’s standards this track delivers one of his most subdued guitar performances and that contrast makes it stand up more strongly as you come to expect the guitars to lead his work and everything else to be fitted around them.

We’re off down the highway on ‘On the Table.’ It’s got the summer groove of heading out with the roof down and then it makes a couple of left turns and just when you think you’ve got it figured out Kotzen hits you with the most hummable chorus of the record.

There’s a nice acoustic strum that leads us into ‘This Is a Test.’ It’s pleasant change of pace at the close of the album, built around acoustic guitar and voice, a sweet soft treat. It’s an uncomplicated track with no tempo changes or swapping of instruments. Kotzen delivers another spot on vocal, and I love the passion and feeling that he can get into his vocals. My favourite track on the album right now.

‘Nihilist’ leads us into the final stretch. If ‘This Is a Test’ was a simple song in its delivery, then ‘Nihilist’ is its opposite. There’re a million and one things going on in here all at the same time. There’s more of the middle eastern vibe going on and then there’s a bit where the guitar and vocals track and follow each other. Kotzen plays out some nice guitar licks towards the middle, runs it back into the chorus, layering in a wall of sound Phil Spector or Born to Run era Springsteen would be proud of, solos out of that and onto the end of the album. Gorgeous.

It would be easy for an album with so many ideas to come over as disjointed and difficult. ‘Nomad’ has avoided that, possibly because of the way Kotzen has overseen everything himself. It’s eclectic, electric, and exciting. One of his best so far.

Richie Kotzen, ‘Nomad’ is out now to stream download and buy.

Label: BMG – BMGCAT918CD

Format: CD, Album, Stereo

Country: USA, Canada & Europe

Released: 27 Sept 2024