Album Details

• Artist: Kenny Young
• Album: Simple Things
• Label: Tommy Naples Music
• Year of Release: 2010
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: mark_morton on 2010-12-01

Kenny Young is one of those soulful, inoffensive, good ol' boys expressing the blues-rock aesthetic that gave folks like Bob Seger, Jackson Browne, John Mellencamp, and most recently Kid Rock their renowned Midwestern empathic comfort-food style of music. This is not to say that Young is hopping on a bandwagon or biting off of a tried-and-true formula for the sake of making money.

The man's delivery bears a natural sincerity that invokes a crossover appeal between rock and country. There is something tangibly romantic in Young's vocal performance that, as sappy as it seems, reminds you of your first love. His balladry is warm and poignant to the point where it can be both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.

It is actually a shame that this kind of music is not more prevalent in the mainstream music marketplace, because it is a sound that is not easily manufactured - it must be felt, and Kenny Young spouts emotion in buckets! Each track is chock-full of explosive melodies and fiery sing-along choruses. SIMPLE THINGS is just as easily a boot-stomping date-night romp as it is a kick-back and get tanked epic.

While the album probably would have achieved a massive success during the late 1970s or early 1980s - rubbing shoulders with the likes of George Thorogood, The Eagles, and Eddie Rabbitt - it is still refreshing to stumble upon an album that is simple, pure, and real. SIMPLE THINGS delivers a message that is relatable to anyone of any creed - love, loss, and simply living life despite its inherent tribulations. Although "simple," it is a message that often goes overlooked in the bubblegum nature of modern music.

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