I can well imagine Montr�al-born guitarist Mike Krajewski (now residing in Hamilton) being blissfully unaware that his fingertips had begun to bleed while furiously �zoning out� on a favourite classic rock lead in his youthful apprenticeship. His live and recorded performances have rapturous intensity.
This demo CD, which displays a cross-section of styles, kickstarts with a raunchy, boogie-rockin� version of �Crossroads� that Eric Clapton would be hard-put to criticize. Softening up the pace momentarily is the classic (albeit middle-of-the-road) country-rocker, �Sweet Home Alabama�, which sticks fairly closely to the original format.
Mike may not be able to emulate the deeper vocals of Jimi Hendrix on the ensuing �Stone Free�, but he�s got his hero�s fiery guitar technique down to a science, assisted expertly by bassist Diamond Ronny Kuzyk and drummer Johnny Black (no longer playing with the band).
When I first heard this band (at their Friday night gig at Ztar Club), ace session drummer Steve Tomalty was inspiring both new and multi-talented bassist/drummer/photographer John Bauld and Mike Krajewski with his technical skills on the skins. They were firing off a nearly note- and beat-perfect Led Zeppelin�s �Rock and Roll� as if they�d written it themselves. That being said, it was really their delivery that impressed me. These guys are not only INTO rock�n�roll, they never got out of it, and it shows!
Not to confine himself to covering the music of his idols, Krajewski has included two originals here (although some copies of the promo CD randomly contain a third track called �Love Me, Woman�, a hard-edged blues composition showing Mike�s vocal versatility). All of these samplers can be heard on their website at www.wildsmoke.ca.
The first original, �Rusted and Busted�, a snappy funk-rocker, could be described sonically as a cross between the Doobie Brothers� �Long Train Runnin�� and ZZ Top�s �Sharp-Dressed Man�. The explosive guitar work is beefed up with guest players John Jamieson on keyboards and Randy Kuzyk on guitar and the topnotch rhythm section.
The second original is a heartfelt mid-tempo blues called �Fueled by Love� that seems influenced by both Bad Company and Whitesnake. Coupled with a more consistent soft-vocal approach, the addition of extended solos on lead guitar and keys would enhance this solid composition as well as their overall musical profile, but otherwise it leaves a memorable lasting impression, just like their live performances! |
