Around four years ago I came across a Liverpool based band called Deadline. The band was in the throws of completing its debut album. Then I lost touch until a mate of mine informed me that the excellent lead singer of the band, Dean Walker, was now based in L.A. and was on the verge of releasing his debut solo album. There are many singer/songwriters with few that specialise in writing and performing simple, hard rock songs. But that is precisely what Walker has done, and much more…

I WANT MORE opens with Cliche. An exuberant guitar riff introduces a no-holds-barred vocal from Walker. It’s just about as rocky as they come and comes with a strong melody, good lyrics and a vocal that is much stronger than I can remember from the Deadline days. The next track, Beautiful, is actually lifted from the Deadline album. Back then it was the best song on the album, and it sounds even better now. There’s a storming rock instrumental arrangement that is as good as anything you’ll hear this year. Walker provides another convincing vocal to complete a song that sounds fresh and ready for the singles chart. The tempo slows and darkens with All You Need To Know which boasts yet another very strong melody and one of the most expressive vocal performances on the album. Hell, this could be another single and is topped off by a mournful cello that takes over from heady guitar riffs to conclude another great song.

Diverse pace and mood dominates this album. The very beautiful, string-soaked Wish Too Late is a prime example and offers up the most haunting love song with beautifully judged string passages that add drama and massive depth to the song. And once again Walker proves he’s up to the task with a wonderful, contemplative vocal performance. Better Life is a slow, beautiful acoustic song underpinned by another superb vocal and super-strong melody. Then it’s back to heavy rock with Broken Hearted and a single, held guitar chord heralding in a mocking punk rock vocal performance from Walker. Then it’s back again to a glacial pace, dark and bass-driven song of great ambience and quality. One of my highlights is the epic pop of Luck Up with its bouncing vibe and Beatle-esque flavour. Moving On displays a lumbering, highly effective country rock vibe, while final track Bombs opens with a stark, and doom-laden instrumental intro before Walker appears with a distant, higher octave vocal. The final talking vocal and soaring guitar riffs nail another album highlight. Did I say final song? Just as I was about to remove the CD from my player a marvellous acoustic song rang out – just Walker with his guitar performing a gorgeous folk/rock song that finally concludes a great album. Or so I thought….

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Last week I was handed a newly added second CD featuring the artist’s new single that’s available on download from www.myspace.com/deanwalker on 14 April. The single is called 3:14 and holds a special significance for both Walker and the people of his hometown of Liverpool. Walker explains, “3:14 takes us back to that fateful day at Hillsborough, right back to the last precious minute when we were all still alive. At 3.15pm 95 fans were pronounced dead by the Government’s coroner. 3:14 tells of the loss, recaptures the atmosphere of the before and relives the pain of the after. It is for the families, the friends, the loved ones, everybody who was a part of it. And the little piece of each of us that died on that day. I wrote 3:14 the night after performing at a concert for Hillsborough at St. Georges Hall in Liverpool. The concert brought back the injustice of the tragedy to me, overwhelming me, as I was at Hillsborough on that terrible day.”

”I was never going to release this record, I originally didn’t want to record it or play it to anyone because it was so personally cathartic, but too many people have requested its release as it enables some release for them. I have addressed and have the approval of the HFSG, Justice Campaign, LFC, and the newly formed Hope for Hillsborough Campaign, (set up by Anne Williams) for 3:14.”

All income from the single sales will go towards helping Anne Williams (whose son died at Hillsborough) take her case to the European Court of Human Justice, after the incomprehensible injustices metered out by the British Legal System. 3:14 re-lives the young boy’s experiences on that dreadful day, and in adulthood ponders on the aftermath. The song opens with a ringing, loud and clear guitar riff that sounds like an oncoming express train, before Walker’s passionate and angry vocal hammers musical nails into the mediocrity and complacency of subsequent events. It’s an epic song recorded at a much higher volume than everything else here; it’s a deeply emotional song, and one that will strike a chord with anyone and everyone connected to this dreadful man-made disaster. It will break hearts, rekindle memories, and it deserves to be heard.

Walker’s philosophy with this second CD seems to be, ‘if simple, powerful rock ain’t broken, don’t fix it…’ Opener Flying is a prime example with its classic guitar riffs, far-flung vocals and rampant drum rhythm. The sound is raw, vibrant and compelling. Next song Drive On slacks off the pace a tad, while in addition to his customary strong melody adds choruses to-die-for. So Clear opens with a dark and threatening bass line before a crystal clear vocal enters to overlay more classic riffs. There’s not one dud track here and many exceptional ones including the next song You Work Me with its acoustic intro and darker than dark vibe. Wonderful extended guitar passages pepper this track to add depth and drama to a really special song. Questions is another standout with its devastating bass vibe that almost overpowers the excellent contemplative Walker vocal. Superb! There’s another ten songs to savour here making a total of 24, and every single one of them has something special to offer – a spectacular musical feat.

This is a superb rock solo debut. Walker’s song writing and vocals exhibit a musical maturity beyond his years, and I reckon the time spent living in L.A. has helped. With production by Walker and superb mastering by Miles Showell at Metropolis, every song here hits the mark and involves the listener in a way that few soloists can achieve. This is much more than just another rock record, and deserves to sell by the truck-load. And while we hail the hero here, Walker is wowing them at the Viper Rooms and several other famous venues across the pond.

4.5/5

3:14 was recorded in Parr Street Liverpool, mastered in Metropolis London and is being released on download on 14th April, available at HMV and Virgin, with physical release to follow. Check out www.myspace.com/deanwalker for artist information and download.