PICK OF THE WEEK: WALES ROAD Daily Messenger (6/05)
It's been nearly a dozen years now, encompassing at
least 10 recording projects and shows in
churches,clubs and coffeehouses and biker rallies.
Tommy Wales of Rochester has, like some modern
Psalmist, poured out his praises and laments to God -
and married them to bluesy,thrashy,power-chordy
rock'n'roll.
His band Wales Road - an ever changing combo who
recently released 'Praying Mantis'- is among the
veterans of the area's Christian-music scene, and has
attracted attention outside religious circles, getting
airplay on secular stations as well as their Christian
counterparts.
On "Praying Mantis" , Wales Road - consisting of
Wales, bassist Steve Rousseau and drummer Tommy
Harrington - give a sampling of many of the styles the
band's offered over the years,from thrash to
blues,neo-new wave to acoustic folkie strains.
Influences Wales lists range from the seminal and
obscure Christian band the 77's to emo group
Evanescence to that other grappler with life's light
and darkness, Johnny Cash.
Lyrically, Wales' structure remains deceptively
simple, and his theme remains the same: a man and his
God, whom he by turn praises, defends and beseeches
for the strength to weather the torment that,
inevitably accompanies living - the "hand me down
blues" of one of Wales' signature songs...
PICK OF THE WEEK: WALES ROAD