stream the album here
1 Stimulate Me 4:44
2 Material Blues 2:25
3 Fairy Tale 4:14
4 Going Down Slow 7:35
5 Right Back Where I Started 5:14
6 I'm Sorry Sheriff 6:01
7 Key to the Highway 4:20
8 With You 4:56
9 Loves Lost Cause 4:56
10 Hey Now 3:05
This is the debut record from this Minnesota-based Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter whose primary sound is in Blues Rock.
Along with Erick Serna and the Killing Floor's debut record The Grip this adds to a rather unexpected interest in new Blues-Rock artists.
I saw Trent live with The Galactic Cowboy Orchestra once as a guest at the Dakota, and then headline his own show this year alongside them a few weeks ago at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis.
Some of this is really tasteful, blues rock. Almost like Carlos Santana, namely on some of the solos. The track "Loves Lost Cause" maybe stands out the most. In fact that might be the best song on here. It builds gradually, and then a couple of minutes in, he goes into bluesy salsa-prog mode, that actually I think might go even further live. The show I saw him a few weeks ago he probably did and my memory isn't perfect on specifics. Because the jamming that takes place on that one is wonderful.
A number of other tunes on this album have moments, from great twang guitar, to soulful, methodical, bluesy candy. I'd say there's really not an unworthy song on here. But my other favorites come to mind "I'm Sorry Sheriff" "Fairy Tale" "Right Back Where I Started" and "Key to the Highway."
I can see why TGCO have worked with him, and Lisi Wright of TGCO represents him. And this (debut) record of his, is with New Folk Records, which also has the likes of TGCO, Lehto & Wright, and Greg Herriges. John Wright actually plays bass on it and did some production work, which is really clean sounding, not surprisingly.
New Folk Records may be folk/folk-related, but that label is kind of Minnesota's own progressive music label of sorts.
Trent Romens: definitely one of the best new artists in Minnesota, and one of the better new artists I discovered in 2011.