Artist: TY TABOR [KING'S X]
Album: ROCK GARDEN (CD)

Year: 2006
Media type: CD

As guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the Texan power trio Kingґs X, Ty Tabor has continued to enjoy an outstanding reputation amongst fans and media alike, not to mention also being revered amongst fellow musicians. His latest solo offering “Rock Garden” finds the musician in good spirits once more. After the somewhat melancholic mood of his previous release “Safety” in 2002, it seems the guitar icon is ready to rock again.

Tabor has developed a unique, identifiable guitar sound, which fits perfectly alongside his Beatle-esque compositions and is complemented by his melodic vocal delivery. All of which has made him a highly respected musician in the rock world. Since 1988, Tabor has released a string of highly acclaimed albums with his band Kingґs X, who have also established themselves as a powerful live act. Outside of King’s X, Tabor has also become an articulate solo artist. On his latest solo album “Rock Garden”, Tabor has overcome the melancholy that he found himself in around the time of his previous release “Safety”. “’Safety’ grew out of the worries and anguish that I lived through at the time”, he explains. “With ‘Rock Garden’ I survived this phase and now I’m ready to rock again”.

The title “Rock Garden” is certainly fitting. The new tracks on this album are colourful and very lively, much like a garden in spring through which a warm breeze blows, occasionally benefitting from a mild rain providing a cool and pleasent freshness. “The album is named after my backyard” says Tabor, “a tropical little paradise where I – as once was the case with George Harrison at his home – have diligently planted and worked for many years. Here, I sometimes sit with friends and we just play guitar out in the open nature”.

Those friends who partied and made music in Tabor’s garden (incidentally you can actually hear them on the hidden track, along with his dog and a few feathered friends) also supported him for the album’s recording sessions and include drummer Randy St. John, Wally Farkas from the Galactic Cowboys (he sang backing vocals and played acoustic guitar), Kingґs X band mate Doug Pinnick (backing vocals on “Pretty Good”) and Tabor’s friend James Henry (dobro on the hidden track). Tabor produced the new collection of songs himself at his Alien Beans studio in Houston.

“Rock Garden” was made between March 2005 and June 2006. “The songs on this album experienced a lot of changes during this time” Tabor says. “I wanted to like them all without exception. Because of that, nothing was left open to my laziness or routine. With constant requests for changes I became a real pain in the neck for the others. But the new numbers should really get under your skin. Even if would have taken ten years to do it, I wouldn’t have been satisfied until the whole thing was perfect”. Thankfully it only took one year to complete. The album features some fantastic songs such as the driving opener “Ride”, “Take It Back” with its wonderful vocals and “I Know What I’m Missing” which is slightly reminiscent of some of the latter day British prog rock bands. Tabor says “The cornerstones of this record are just right. There’s a great mood and the overall working spirit was great, which allowed us to rock!”

Ty Tabor will soon be rocking again with his pals from King’s X, Jerry Gaskill and Doug Pinnick. After a long absence, the band will soon make a welcome return to Europe for some shows. The band will perform a show in Bonn at the venue Harmonie on October 20th, which will be recorded by Germany’s “Rockpalast” TV show as part of their Crossroads series, after which a tour will follow.

TRACKLIST:

01. Ride 4:53
02. Stalker 4:47
03. I Know What I'm Missing 3:11
04. Afraid 3:39
05. Play 6:51
06. Beautiful Sky 4:07
07. She's a Tree 3:32
08. Take it Back 3:00
09. Wading In 3:26
10.Thankful 3:26
11.Pretty Good 4:00

plus a secret track that won't be credited making a total of 12 songs.