Rock Music News: Guitar Kingdom Review (2024)

If ZZ Top’s “Fool for Your Stockings” and Alice in Chains’ “Rooster” had a love child, it’s Dudley Taft. The Cincinnati product has built quite an impressive resume since the passion overtook him as a teenager. While in high school, Dudley and Trey Anastasio (of Phish) founded the band Space Antelope. He later joined Seattle band Sweet Water followed by a stint with the band Second Coming. Touring with the likes of Monster Magnet, Candlebox and Alice in Chains during the grunge heyday of the ’90s provided some high-profile exposure for Taft. He stayed in the pacific northwest local scene coming out with the self-produced and released Left for Dead in 2010. He has followed with six more studio albums and a pair of live releases. His most recent being Cosmic Radio in 2020. Dudley has added four #1 songs (Hit Tracks Top 100), a #2 Blues Rock single for “Give Me A Song”, and a #9 album Simple Life (US Blues Rock Album charts) to his resume.

His eighth studio album is Guitar Kingdom released on April 28. As with most of his other projects, it is self-produced in his home studio which he purchased from some fella by the name of Peter Frampton. It features Kasey Williams on bass, drummers Alex Dungan and Nick Owisanka, Andy Smith on keyboards, and backing vocals from Dudley’s daughter Ashley Charmae. Radio host/bassist John Kessler and percussionist, Walfredo Reyes, Jr. make cameos on “Darkest Night”.

Guitar Kingdom is a definite rocker that guitar fans will love. Grunge influences are evident throughout the album and there is no denying that there might just be some blues behind the curtain. Taft’s guitar chops are on full display from providing lyrical exclamation points in “Old School Rocking” to haunting solos (picture ghosts playing air guitar) in “Oil and Water”. There’s a dash of acoustic work as well with a little Spanish guitar intro in “Get Stoned” and the closest thing to a ballad in “Darkest Night”.

It is also an introspective work reflecting on the joys of being a young rocker in “Old School Rocking”, “Favorite Things” and “I Want More”. Taft explores more serious undertones in “Black and Blues”, “Still Burning”, “Darkest Night”, and “The Great Beyond.”

“Get Stoned” straddles both ends as Taft expresses a need for release from the grind of life as a musician ‘if time was in a bottle, I’m sure I’d try to squeeze’. “Oil and Water” offers a view into the complementary part of any flourishing relationship with ‘I’m the salt to your tequila’ and ‘the rain to your flowers’. I’m inclined to think he’s addressing his guitar more than a woman. You can choose. The album closes with a cover of Tinsley Ellis’ “A Quitter Never Wins” which could quite possibly be a summation of the messages in the previous tracks in addition to an ohmage to a blues great.

As I mentioned, Guitar Kingdom is very much what the title infers, you are entering a musical realm ruled by the guitar. If you’re looking for a range of vocals this is not the place. Taft’s story telling bears the low dark drone and gravel signature from his grunge roots. The soul bearing messaging, and excellent guitar production make for one solid album.

The Review 7/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Black and Blues– Old School Rocking– Darkest Night– The Great Beyond