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ALASTAIR GREENE LA Examiner July 10 2012 Will Phoenix Overall, the album offers not only a nice touch of blended genres but also includes numerous lyrical themes such as sociopolitical pieces, loves lost and won and even the after-life. Of course, Greene’s work is further bolstered by additional artists as well as great cross-fading and stacking guitar parts in the studio in order to create a unique musical maelstrom. “Madman” Greene does some great riffing here. “Get Your Evil On”, check out Through The Rain on LeRoi Records. READ THE WHOLE REVIEW HERE!
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Alternate Root Artist Of The Week 3-12-12 March 14, 2012 Alastair Greene has a day gig that could cause guitar envy, balancing the lead guitar seat since 2010 for the Alan Parsons Project while still releasing solo efforts. Those who expect the blues from Alastair will not be disappointed by “Through the Rain”, though they may be a little surprised. The bluesman, the only unsigned act to play the 2010 Sonora Blues Festival, filters his music through other rockers whose love for the blues reaches eleven on the volume knob. Like classic rock heavy hitters in the vein of Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, Alastair Greene rocks hard on ‘Through the Rain’ and then rocks a little harder, just to make sure you get it. He sees the album process for this effort as, “my goal for this record was to combine my love of Blues with my Hard Rock influences and make a record that pushes the boundaries and challenges the perception of what is considered Blues Rock”. The album opens with a roughly forty-five second cloud burst (“Before the Storm”) before the sky opens up for the title track to pour down. “Get Your Evil On”, “Stoneroller”, “By The Way” and “T’Other Way” take no prisoners, “Dearly Departed” intimately showcases Alastair Greene’s softer side and “Take Me With You” uses Country picks and licks to make its case.
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Southland Blues Magazine Jim Santella January 01, 2012 Hard rock and blues go together. Somtimes. With this latest CD from singer/guitarist Alastair Greene, comes a dozen self-penned songs that lean heavily on the hard rock side of his music. Jimi Hendrix is paid homage. Edge-of-the-genre blues bands such as Canned Heat, Cream, The Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, and The Grateful Dead cab be felt in Greene's music. He's always felt the pull of blues/rock in his work, and Greene's guitar work has been described as "nuclear." So, it's no wonder that he's decided to push this session along hard rock tracks. "All Of This Time" carries a blues connection through its storyline and through the powerful electric guitar thrills that Greene and his band pursue. Harmony vocals from band members, a driving bass and drums, and plenty of guitar muscle surround his vocals tales.
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The acoustic instrumental "Dearly Departed", although brief, provides a mellow association with blues; and "Take Me With You" follows with a pure blues selection that returns Greene and company to what they do best. When spinning country-infused blues, this band makes a convincing argument that sastisfies. Here, they're clear, wholesome, and in the groove. "Stoneroller" and "The Real You" bring out a smokin' contemporary blues flavor that also raises the bar. Elsewhere, Greene is fixed in a pattern of hard rock authority, and he's good at it.
bluesrockers.ws Tom Branson February 11, 2012 Every now and then, the good feeling you have about someone from years past manifests into reality. I remember well the first time I encountered the work of California based blues/rock guitarist Alastair Greene. I was fortunate enough to come across his debut CD “A Little Wiser” via the internet and quickly added it to my “must review” list. I knew then that this was an artist who given the proper opportunities was headed towards much higher ground professionally. It has been very personally satisfying for me to witness from afar as his career has grown, from relative unknown local artist, to supporting player with name acts, most recently as full time guitarist for the legendary Alan Parsons project while maturing to become a very credible artist in his own right. “Through the Rain” is Greene’s latest solo release and his best to date, though all his previous material is more than worthy of your attention as well. Formed from a similar mold as some other modern powerhouse guitarists like Warren Haynes and Lance Lopez, Greene manages to transform obvious 60’s and 70’s classic rock influences into a much more explosive 21st Century version of those oh so familiar hard driving, pulse pounding, and speaking bursting treats. He remains on “Through the Rain” as in all efforts before an accomplished song writer and excellent vocalist as well. The band includes some familiar names from AG recordings past, most notably Tom Lackner on drums, Greene himself adding bass and percussion on some tracks, along with a cameo appearance of sorts from the great King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor, a brilliant addition of another player of similar influences as Greene, and one whose solo tradeoffs fit to perfection. There is absolutely nothing here not to love, the tracks are all outstanding, vocals all strong, band always spot on, and Greene’s playing and singing world class. And, as always, there is a very wide variety of musical styles represented in this recording. From a very gentle instrumental “Dearly Departed” to an almost Poco/Pure Prairie League like “Take Me With You” and onto the more monstrous blues influenced monster rock tracks like “Madman”, the title track “Through the Rain”, and perhaps my favorite “Get Your Evil On” which both reminds me of why I have loved this genre of music since its birth even unto today as well as reminding me just why I am such a huge fan of Alastair Greene’s work. “Through The Rain” is available from our friends at CD Baby or by visiting the official Alastair Greene website at www.agsongs.com. This one receives my rarely given, “Buy it even if you raise the national debt in doing so” Bluesrockers seal of approval. And keep your eye out for even greater things to come from Alastair Greene in the future.
All Access Magazine Mike Cavanaugh January 26, 2012 Another good blues rock CD has come my way. Right from the start I dig the guitar playing of Alastair Greene and the subtle Skynardesque undertones. The guitar sound is full bodied with a grinding lived in quality, with hints of unfiltered tobacco and whisky as smooth as 40 grit sandpaper. The guitar solos are expressive saying “yeah, check out these cajones!” Reading the credits on the disc, Greene handled much of the instrument playing, except where noted, and aside from being impressed with his 6 string capabilities, I really dig his low-mid range vocals and how perfectly they fit the tone and character of all the instruments. Truly an excellently mixed collection of songs. My one negative though is that I’m not hearing that “one” song that puts it all together for marketing purposes, but maybe I’m just missing it. Rating 4 (the live set is where this stuff will shine)
Blues Underground Network John Vermilyea December 24, 2011 At least once a year an album crosses my path that simply blows me away. For 2011, Alastair Greene's "Through The Rain" was that album. Quite simply "Through The Rain" is the way Rock, with just a tinge of the Blues, is meant to be played. Wow, Wow, and did I mention Wow. Alastair Greene's "Through The Rain" enthusiatically gets my highest rating of 5*****, and I wish I had a higher rating to give it, cause it certainly would deserve it. Highly Recommended and Thoroughly Enjoyed... If you like Rock Edged Albums, "Through The Rain" is a must have.
Santa Barbara Independent Aly Comingore December 16, 2011 As those in the know will tell you, there’s a hotbed of musical talent roaming our streets, from trained session players to some of the industry’s most indispensable touring musicians. At the head of that pack is Alastair Greene. The S.B. guitarist may best be name-dropped as Alan Parson’s right-hand man, but as his solo records (and live shows) prove, Greene’s also a star in his own right. OnThrough the Rain, Greene morphs his signature blues approach into a wailing rock ‘n’ roll hybrid, replete with searing solos and licks that recall the Stones at their most bombastic. The electric and eclectic bar-ready rock of Through the Rain is sure to dazzle even the most casual of players, but it’s slow-burning instrumental numbers like “Dearly Departed” that remind us why Greene’s talents go far beyond his chops.
Dangerdog Music Reviews Craig Hartranft December 12, 2011 Alastair Greene/Through The Rain LeRoi Records 4.0/5.0 LeRoi Records Versatile rock and blues guitarist Alastair Greene doesn't seem to slow down or sit still for any length of time. Coming off this side gig as the lead guitarist for The Alan Parsons Live Project as well as playing several blues festivals, Greene has found time to record this third solo album, Through the Rain. While generally recognized for his exceptional blues work, he take these licks and blends them with his love of classic hard rock. Certainly, Through the Rain accomplishes this goal. Through the Rain, By the Way (Ty Tabor of King's X helps out on guitar), Madman, Stoneroller, and You Will Remember are only several examples of gritty and edgy blues laced hard rock. Sometimes the songs have a definite Southern feel as on Get Your Evil On or Take Me With You, a song with an historic Allman Brothers feel. T'other Way offers a quick pace with a more traditional rock n roll sound. For more traditional blues, this arrives in All of This Time. Greene's guitar credentials are undisputable throughout, making this a delight for the fan, peer, or the next aspiring fret star. Too short examples apply: the simple earthy electric blues shred at the start on Before the Storm, and the fine acoustic work of Dearly Departed. With Through the Rain, Alastair Greene applies his daredevil blues guitar work to his hard rock influences. The result is some blistering rock, with fiery fret work. Recommended.
Bmans Blues Report The Bman November 15, 2011 I just got a copy of Alastair Greene's new recording "Through The Rain". This is a pretty interesting recording... a definite change up from his last recording, "Walking In Circles". This is definitely not your daddy's blues recording. It has a lot more connections to the sons of the blues than the fathers. The guitar riffs that you have come to expect and the slide solos are there but the format is totally different. The first thing that hits you that is different is the off beat rhythm and possibly even funk/metal bottom but with more ethereal writing on the fill behind the melody of the recordings. Kind of like throwing Living Color in a bag with Molly Hatchett, The Dregs, some NW Grunge, Lindsay Buckingham, Marshall Tucker, Black Sabbath... It has all of the polish of the best of the bunch, the snappy guitar solos that you'd expect from AG and a whole lot of rock! I found the recording a lot of fun to listen to and I expect that you will to!
Music News Nashville November 15, 2011 ALASTAIR GREENE TAKES A WALK "THROUGH THE RAIN" Alastair Greene’s career path has taken some interesting turns over the last couple of years. Between accepting the enviable job as lead guitarist for The Alan Parsons Live Project in 2010, and being the only unsigned act invited to play the 2010 Sonora Blues Festival, Greene has been performing a wide variety of music on stages the world over. Greene also recently signed to LeRoi Record to release his newest recorded offering. THROUGH THE RAIN may come as a bit of a shock to those who only became aware of Greene’s music via his Blues-based live band and previous CD releases. If his 2009 record WALKING IN CIRCLES was a musical tribute to Greene’s Blues heroes, then THROUGH THE RAIN would be his tribute to his hard rock upbringing. From the Led Zeppelin-style riffing of the title track, to the Hendrix-meets-Pearl Jam of closer ‘You Will Remember’, Greene spends the majority of his new release in old-school hard rocking territory. THROUGH THE RAIN is even more eclectic than his 2002 debut A LITTLE WISER. ‘Take Me With You’ conjures up laid back Americana sounds that will be familiar to fans of The Black Crowes, while ‘The Real You’ mines a deep Funk Rock groove with extended solos reminiscent of heavier jam bands such as Gov’t Mule. Greene has not abandoned his love for the Blues and its early Rock n’ Roll off shoots, as up-tempo barnburner ‘T’other Way’ and the mid-tempo retro-rocker ‘Stoneroller’ prove. THROUGH THE RAIN also touches on a wide variety of lyrical themes, including stories of love lost and won, songs that question political motives, and introspective topics such as what happens after this life is over. “My goal for this record was to combine my love of Blues with my Hard Rock influences and make a record that pushes the boundaries and challenges the perceptions of what is considered Blues Rock.” – Alastair Greene The musician line-up on THROUGH THE RAIN gives the album a wide variety of feels and grooves. The drumming is split between long time Alastair Greene Band drummer Tom Lackner (who has been touring with Jeff Bridges) and former Dishwalla drummer George Pendergast. AGB bassist Jim Rankin, former Summercamp bassist Misha Feldmann and Greene himself share bass duties. As a special treat for guitar fans, Ty Tabor (guitarist for the legendary King’s X) engages in a guitar solo trade-off with Greene on the first single from the record ‘By The Way’. “Alastair should be playing with the biggest bands in the world. I believe it’s just a matter of time.” – Alan Parsons (Posted content is AG's one-sheet for Through The Rain)
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