Kenny Wayne Shepherd is set to release his highly anticipated record Dirt On My Diamonds, Vol. 2 on Sept. 18, 2024. This is the follow-up to the amazing Dirt On My Diamonds, Vol. 1 which was released last year. The entire record has a run time of 31 minutes and contains just eight tracks. But, don’t let the smaller run time and eight songs fool you. This record is a blues rocker’s dream. It gets funky at times, incorporates great, classic blues sounds and is overall a fantastic listen.
The record starts with the opening track, “I Got A Woman.” The groovy beat from drummer Chris Layton makes listeners want to get up and dance from the minute the record starts. Shepherd’s voice is perfect for this song and matches extremely well with the gritty riffs at the beginning of the song. What will be apparent on the record is the usage of his horn section, Doug Woolverton and Charlie Dipuma. They beef up the song and add excellent sounds. Shepherd incorporates a form of call and response between his vocals and the guitar riff and is a neat little addition to the song that makes it the perfect opener.
“The Middle” is ironically the second song on this record and is sung by Noah Hunt. Hunt’s voice is so smooth that it stands out from the start. Shepherd’s twangy guitar in the background contrasts Hunt’s vocals and is a great definition of opposites attract in this song. “The Middle” is a great sing-along song. The chorus allows listeners to feel like they are part of the band and opens the floor for a little singing. Whether it was intentional or not, I love when bands allow their fans to feel a part of the music.
As always, Shepherd’s solo is one of his best yet and is one of the best on the entire record. In actuality, all of Shepherd’s solos are great but the one on “The Middle” is simply captivating. It feels like he’s right in front of you while he wails away on his guitar. It also helps that there’s a minor build which allows Shepherd to easily transition right into the solo.
Track three, “My Guitar Is Crying” is Shepherd’s ballad. I really enjoyed how early this song came on the record. It did a great job of breaking up the album and adding some variety early on. This is the type of song I could see people listening to on their back porch and barbecuing and hanging out with their friends. It’s a great, relaxing listen. Woolverton scratches on his trumpet early on in the song as the rest of the band falls quiet.
If fans listen to the album on their phones, they’ll get the pleasure of hearing the sound of a needle dropping on a record before “Long Way Down” starts. The heaviness of this tune was a very nice surprise, it showed the band’s versatility. The initial thought that some fans might have is that this song sounds like it belongs in some action spy movie. Again, the horn section does a fantastic job of adding a deeper layer of sound to the record.
“Never Made It To Memphis” is by far, the best song on the record. It has a jumpy vibe to it that is cemented with Layton’s drumming. The background singer’s voice does a great job of supporting Shepherd’s. The crunchy sound of the guitars adds a gritty, raw sound which makes this song stand out compared to the rest. Shepherd dazzles listeners’ ears again with another beautiful solo that will make listeners go crazy for more.
Track six, “Watch You Go,” is one of your standard-sounding blues-rock tunes. But, Shepherd fancies up the track by making it fun for listeners. His muffled solo creates a new, interesting sound that hasn’t been heard yet. Hunt also continues with excellent, top-notch vocals that do a great job of moving the record along to the next track.
“Pressure” is the seventh track on the record and is a four-minute funky tune. Joe Krown creates a funk wah-wah sound on his keyboards and, when mixed with the rest of the band, is a fantastic listen to behind Shepherd’s vocals. The repetition of the chorus and title name drills this song into listeners’ heads and will make them hum the tune for days on end.
The record closes off with the ZZ Top tune, “She Loves My Automobile.” The original song, which appears on the band’s 1994 record, One Foot in the Blues is good but Shepherd brings it to a new level. Without stepping on the toes of the great Billy Gibbons, Shepherd adds his own, new feel to the 30-year-old song. This version sounds bigger than ZZ Top’s and features classic blues-influenced soloing from Shepherd to carrying to track to the end of the record.
Shepherd’s Dirt On My Diamonds, Vol. 2 is such a fantastic listen. Shepherd creates blues magic on this record and is one of his best to date. Shepherd’s thrilling solos on this record leave the listener on the edge of their seat hoping that it never ends. There is something for every type of rock fan on this record and they will end the album with a giant smile on their face. This record will make fans want a Dirt On My Diamonds, Vol. 3 by the time they get to the end of this one. I cannot express the need to listen to this record, it’s a must listen to for any fan.
Rating:
8.5/10
Tracklist:
1. I Got A Woman
2. The Middle
3. My Guitar Is Crying
4. Long Way Down
5. Never Made It To Memphis
6. Watch You Go
7. Pressure
8. She Loves My Automobile (ZZ Top Cover)
Pre-Save & Pre-Order “Dirt On My Diamonds Vol 2” NOW HERE
The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band Is:
Kenny Wayne Shepherd – Lead Guitar/Lead Vocals
Noah Hunt – Lead Vocals
Chris Layton – Drums
Kevin McCormick – Bass
Joe Krown – Keyboards
Doug Woolverton – Horns
Charlie Dipuma – Horns
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My love for live music started with my first concert ever, Guns N’ Roses back in 2016. Since then, I’ve been able to capture photos of some amazing artists like Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Ace Frehley, and Post Malone. I am based in New York/New Jersey and go to school in Connecticut majoring in Journalism and I am always looking for the next concert to attend.
