Be sure to circle Aug. 20 in your datebook, because that is the day Richard Turgeon’s new EP Campfire Songs is slated to be released and distributed by Kool Kat Musik.
Comprised of six tracks, Campfire Songs represents the San Francisco Bay Area singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist’s bent for sculpting classic rock sounds into his own unique and inspiring concepts.
Uptempo rhythms, managed by thrumming drums and tightly-fitted melodies keep the beat going on “Be Who You Really Want to Be,” which also features a fiery guitar solo, while the jingling country-folk frequencies of the casually paced “Promised Land” call forth the spirit of Roger McGuinn.
Stocked with chugging riffs and a hooky kick, “Line of Sight” wheels in as a no-nonsense rocker, and “Never Good Enough” approximates a crackling country pose, tiled with a bit of bluesy fretwork.
Propelled by chime and harmony, “Goodbye to Summer” combines punchy power-pop elements with rootsy undercurrents, and “Belladonna” is highlighted by a burst of bone-rattling guitar exercises, thick with feedback, distortion and volume tucked in the vein of Neil Young and Crazy Horse.
Complementing the West Coast vibe displayed on Campfire Songs are Richard Turgeon’s crisp and confident Southern-toned vocals, possessing on target timing and phrasing. His intelligent and observant lyrics count as further assets.
Turgeon has been on an incredible creative roll these past few years, producing four full-length albums of original material and two collections of cover tunes. And now here’s Campfire Songs, which serves as a winning addition to his ever-increasing discography.
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