HARD TIMES

Lee Small hails from theWest Midlandsin the U.K, a place that has brought a wealth of talent in rock music & heavy metal gentry, such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Robert Plant, Magnum, John Bonham, Slade, Mel & Tom Galley & the voice of rock, Glenn Hughes to name just a few.

Lee started out originally as a bass player in bands at just the age of 14 years and was playing the midlands pub scene at 15. He took up guitar in

1986 and became a vocalist fronting a band for the first time 3 years later, then, quite by accident as the band he was playing in at the time kept losing the vocalist, they all decided to have a go at singing and he ended up getting the job!!

Since then, Lee has been quietly climbing the ladder to success. In the 1990's Lee fronted UK Melodic Rockers "Pride" and had the opportunity to tour with up and coming bands at the time such as Winger, Skin and Thunder.

In the late 90's he formed Native Cain with ex-Pride members and released the album "Primitive Soul" with them in 1998. During 2000 he has been involved with Rock legends "Budgie" and Eric Bell's "Thin Lizzy". It was not long before Escape Music recognized his vocal talent and Lee features on Escape Music releases Surveillance ("Angelstation" ESM132) and Cloven Hoof ("Eye of the Sun" ESM133), not forgetting Tom Galley's Psychofantasy project

ESM125 where Lee sang alongside such people as Tony Martin, Keith Murrell and Glenn Hughes.

More recently Lee took to the mike stand for legendaryUKmelodic rockers SHY (ESM232), and has helped create a marvellous piece of music which has received reviews of epic proportions. Lee Small is a name at the forefront of the rock scene at present and what a time to unleash his very own solo outing, an album which is full of surprises. Lee has given us a bluesy rock album that features contributions from Martin Kronlund (Gypsy Rose), Imre Daun (Don Patrol, Gypsy Rose) and Paul Bradder (Saracen). This is Lee at his finest, and this solo outing will see him take his talent to new heights. 

Quelle: www.Escape-Music.com

Kritik:

Dann lege ich mal los, das Cover macht Eindruck, lässt aber nicht wirklich auf Blues,- oder Hardrock schließen, aber dennoch ein Eyecatcher. Zur Fülle des Albums kann ich sagen, 12 Tracks und über 50 Minuten Spielzeit gehen föllig in Ordnung. Jetzt komme ich mal zur Musik an sich, was hier geboten wird ist solide Handarbeit, stilistisch zwischen "Endsechziger-Blues-Rock" und "80th-Hardrock" ala Whitesnake. Die einzelnen Songs sind wunderbar arrangiert und bis ins Details ausgefeilt. Bereits der Titeltrack "Jamaica Inn" zeigt wo der Hase läuft, hier wird astreiner Bluesrock geboten, welcher gleich ins Ohr geht, kernige Riffs und eine unvergleichliche Stimme. Das Album ist im Großen und Ganzen gut strukturiert und durchgehend hörbar, ganz gleich ob ruhige Stücke wie "Captains Quartier" oder "I Am The Sea" oder aber rockigere Nummern wie "End Of The Road". Hier wird geklotzt und nicht gekleckert. Gesamt gesehen habe ich hier ein sehr facettenreiches Album mit jeder Menge Leidenschaft in den Songs. Wer auf ruhigere Rockklänge steht, sollte auf jeden Fall mal in diesen Silberling reinhören. 8 von 10 Punkten.