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Wally Waller — Kitchen Rock
(Bandcamp Think Like a Key TLAK1146, 2023, CD / LP / DL)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2024-05-20

Kitchen Rock Cover art

Singer-songwriter, bassist, and and multi-instrumentalist Wally Waller was recruited by Phil May to join The Pretty Things on bass in 1967, where he made significant contributions to the band’s discography for decades. Four years ago, at the age of 76, during the pandemic Waller decided to record his first solo album, Kitchen Rock — aptly named as his kitchen was his studio. Using his iPad, instruments, etc. Waller took a fresh look back over his career to record seventeen songs, many of them co-written with the late Phil May from The Pretty Things’ fifth studio album in 1970, Parachute, plus some covers. Waller gives a bit of history of each song in the accompanying booklet, which adds to the enjoyment of the music. This aging rocker is still in top form, whether he is playing unplugged or multi-layering his vocals and instruments. Along with The Pretty Things covers, Waller does Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” The Everly Brothers’ “When Will I Be Loved,” and Willie Dixon’s “Can’t Judge a Book By Its Cover.” Waller’s reliving these songs from his past is a breath of fresh air, that in places, improves on the originals. If nothing else, Kitchen Rock is a great place to start if you’ve no exposure to the music of The Pretty Things.

Filed under: New releases, 2023 releases

Related artist(s): Wally Waller

More info
http://wallywaller-beyondtheprettythings.bandcamp.com/album/kitchen-rock

 

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