Album Notes

What is it about growing up in the Texas music scene that inspires so many guitar players to wield their guitars like weapons and make an impact on the world? Guitarists like Billy Gibbons of ZZ Topp, Eric Johnson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Maybe it is something in the water or in the air that evokes such legendary feel for the instrument. Whatever the reason, the list would not be complete without Robin Overall’s name on it. Described by Music Columnist Jim Beal as “Guitar Slinger Deluxe”, Robin is emerging as a force to be reckoned with set apart from the hordes of SRV clones by a style all his own. This Texas born guitarist is poised for a 2006 Tour to support the release of 2 upcoming albums. The “Shadowlands” album which will be released in the summer is an amazing journey of guitar laced rock lightly seasoned with a jazz/fusion edge and “Firebird” which hopes to see a September release is a combination of new studio tracks and live recordings of a few songs from “Shadowlands”. The “live” performance is really where he catches fire and you begin to understand that you are witnessing something very special. His soaring guitar solos seem to actually be calling out to people from blocks away to come and experience it. But the thing I enjoyed most about this guitarist was his commitment to the song. He is actually a good songwriter and vocalist. I never got the feeling that the evening was centered around a guitar showcase of endless and ultimately boring scales or that the songs were constructed solely for that purpose. Robin has a way of pulling you in slowly with variety, taste, and feel. He doesn’t dump his complete knowledge of the guitar on you in the first solo in the first song. He is more like a Pied Piper slowly weaving his way through the songs and although he does give you an occasional blistering flurry of notes you really get a sense of freshness from song to song. At the end of the performance you won’t have the ear fatigue common in many guitar hero shows. After two encores and non-stop accolades from the audience of about 300 people for this opening act I began to ask myself……..”Who’s the headliner now?”

If you get a chance to see Robin “live” don’t miss it…..this Firebird can really rock you!