Eric Gales – Crown

It was last June that I first got the heads up about Eric Gales’ then untitled new album. In between a 90 minute set of scorching hot blues guitar, Gales himself let the crowd of 500+ in on “a secret” that his new album was set for an early 2022 release and being produced by none other than blues rock heavyweight Joe Bonamassa. Of course, when you share a “secret” such as this was 500+ people, it doesn’t become so much of a secrete. By last fall, promotion for this album, now titled Crown, was in full swing.

The hype was real. Despite being a well respected bluesman for over 30 years, Gales has shockingly always flown under the radar. He experienced a brief taste of success at a young age with a rock radio hit in 1991’s “Sign of the Storm”. Soon enough, critics were branding him “the next Jimi Hendrix”. However, a combination of substance abuse, jailtime, and a seismic shift in the rock music scene lead to Gales becoming your favorite guitarist’s guitarist, as opposed to a multi-platinum seller. That can (and should) all change with Crown.

For a man who’s made an entire career playing only the most genuine blues, Crown may be Gales’ most impactful album to date. His painfully honest lyricism and unique brand of blues shred is a match made in six string heaven. The album’s opening cut, “Death of Me”, is so heavy and dirty that it practically borders on Sabbathian doom. On this song, Gales sings about learning from his past mistakes. This theme of redemption dominates Crown, especially on tracks like “You Don’t Know the Blues”, “Survivor”, and “My Own Best Friend”, which touches upon his time in jail.

The music only matches the intensity of these lyrics. In fact, I’m convinced that Gales plays the way he does because he’s gone through so many hardships. It’s one thing to simply play the blues. It’s another thing to feel it. Each song on Crown is a musical exorcism that sees Gales cleansing his soul the only way he can: through his guitar. It screams, cries, and wails, channeling his innermost sorrows, yet revitalizing the man at the same time. Perhaps no other cut demonstrates this like “Too Close to the Fire”. This is the type of hyperemotional blues ballad that one would only expect of such caliber from the late Gary Moore. Gales carries on the deceased Irish king’s legacy with raging passion, unleashing the guitar performance of the year…and it’s only January.

Never one-dimensional, Crown explores facets of jazz (“The Storm”), funk (“I Want My Crown”), gospel (“Stand Up”), heavy psych (“Rattlin’ Change”), and 70s AM soul (“Take Me Just as I Am”) as well. Yet at no point does it feel drawn out or overexaggerated. This speaks volumes for an album of 16 songs which clocks in at a little over an hour. It speaks even louder volumes of the talent that is Eric Gales. Take your seat upon your throne Mr. Gales. You earned your Crown.

9 out of 10

Label: Provogue

Genre: Blues Rock

For fans of: Joe Bonamassa, Gary Moore, The Jimi Hendrix Experience