Ken Burtch plays with a lot of aggression. He reminds me of a young athlete who's breaking into the ranks of the pros, so he's got something to prove. For his first solo effort, he attacks the fret board in a fury of speed licks and funk. From the moment I heard the first few notes, I thought I was listening to a young Nuno Bettencourt. His bass player is a real compliment to Ken's playing, but I would have liked to have heard a real drummer, instead of the damn drum machine (I hate those things). I am going to keep an eye on this guy; he should progress well as his songwriting matures. Ken and his 7-string Ibanez are a welcome addition to the guitar-oriented music lovers' scene. Oh, and on a personal note, I'd like to say that Ken is a very nice guy. Thanks for the autographed give-away CD's, Ken! (Oh yeah, and the cover of the CD is cool!)

Pick of the lot - "Comin' Thru" (3:50)

Reviewed by Thingfish