| King of Love - Hal Ketchum | |
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Reviewed by Matt Bjorke
Never a superstar, Hal Ketchum has consistently been making albums that blur the lines of what is called country. While he's had his fair share of hit songs, six Billboard Top Ten Hits to be exact, Hal has always stayed just below the radar which, to the delight of his fans worldwide, has allowed him to follow his muse as a singer and writer.
After working with producers Allen Reynolds and Rodney Crowell for the majority of his career, Hal decided to record The King Of Love by himself with the help of a few friends over the course of a couple weeks. Featuring fifteen songs, with each song except "Everytime I Look In Your Eyes" written by Hal, the album is more of a return to the troubadour sounds of his previous best album, 1999's "Awaiting Redemption."
The opening track, "Everytime I Look In Your Eyes" is the most radio friendly track on the whole album. This song, written by the team behind film hits from movies such as Dirty Dancing, was tied to a new Sylvester Stallone film called Avenging Angelo. When Curb Records President Mike Curb heard the track, he asked Hal to attach it to The King Of Love. That was a wise choice as the song has a wonderful sound to it and has the potential to be Hal's biggest hit ever.
"Run Loretta Run" has the feel to it that is similar to Hal's mid-1990's hits. The song is about a woman who realizes that she needs to get out of her situation because her man doesn't love her. It's a nice story song that Hal has become known for.
"As Long As You Love Me" is a nice duet with the bluesy vocalist Jonell Mosser. Beautifully written by Hal with a new singer/songwriting team Shi-Anne and Joshua Ragsdale, this track has a beautiful flow to the lyrics and the traditional country music melody lends it to have a wedding ballad feel to it.
Goofy, and irrelevant, "The King Of Love" is a fun song that in a perfect world would be a hit. It has a full sound and will remind you of many songs yet still keep its own sound. This song is about a guy who's confident in his abilities to attract the opposite sex.
"On Her Own Time" is a song that Hal Ketchum was born to sing. His emotive voice fits the electric guitar (albeit twangy) melody well. Co-written by his son Graham Ketchum (who wrote the lyrics), the song is about a woman who shows her love in her own way.
"The Way She Loves Me" has a funky sound to it that really reminds me of the songs that Hal recorded for his dark, introspective album Awaiting Redemption. It is about a guy who appreciates everything his wife means to him.
"Prisoner Of Love" has a delta blues sound to it. About a guy who is bound by the love he feels for his lady even though that love sometimes hurts him, he wouldn't change a thing except that one day she'll eventually be his. The instrumentation is swampy and bluesy, just what one might expect of a song made in the Louisiana Delta.
"The Skies Over Dublin" is a song that is close to Hal's heart. Like friend Tim O'Brien, Hal spends quite a bit of time in Ireland. The song has a Celtic sound to it, featuring a tasty fiddle sound that is a requisite sound for almost any song coming out of the Emerald Isle. The song isn't about the city; It's about a woman who has mood changes that are "restless as the skies over Dublin."
"Angel Song" is a beautifully written song about the love a parent feels for their children, and the wisdom they wish to share. Inspired by Hal's two daughters Fani Rose and Ruby Joy, the song is a light dual acoustic guitar song and a perfect way to cap off a wonderful record.
Hal Ketchum is a poet and an artist's artist. He's never going to be "the next big thing" nor is he ever gonna "disappear." Like songwriter Marcus Hummon, Hal Ketchum is an artist who writes what he feels who also writes plays and paints paintings. Hal Ketchum truly is a treasure that far too many people never listen to. If you want to hear wonderfully written songs by a talented artist, then The King Of Love is for you.
Song List:
Album cover used with permission of Curb Records.
Sound clips courtesy of Barnes & Noble.
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