It's safe to say that ever since he made his UK debut back in 2019, Kyle Daniel has become one of the most beloved acts among UK country fans – and the feeling is very much mutual. He's been a frequent visitor here, performing at the likes of Nashville Meets London and The Long Road (where he'll be performing again later this summer), and genuinely loves chatting to fans whether that's in person or on social media. Fans have been hoping for a full-length album ever since the release of his 2019 EP, ‘What's There To Say?', and now at long last his debut record ‘Kentucky Gold' – named after his home state – has finally arrived.
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The 12-track project opens with lead single ‘Can't Hold Me Back', a fiery number full of heavy, crunchy guitars and Daniel's trademark deep drawl. There's a rawness to his delivery of the song, particularly on the big belting chorus – you can really feel the power in his voice here. I loved that it so encapsulates his own story as well; ‘Kentucky Gold' has been in the works for many years and despite the setbacks, it's arrived full-blooded and ready to rock. To me this is the perfect album opener and brilliantly sets the scene for the rest of the record.
One thing which stands out to me is there's a heavy 70s influence throughout the album, from the funky, flirtatious ‘Fire Me Up' (featuring outstanding guest vocals from Maggie Rose) to the ‘Sympathy For The Devil'-esque whoops and flourishes on the high-energy Cadillac Three collaboration ‘Summer Down South'. The driving, lively track features quick-fire lyrics and has a singalong chorus that feels like it will be great live, and the trio's voices work perfectly with Daniel's. However, the strongest collaboration for me is ‘Southern Sounds', which sees Kyle team up with Kendell Marvel. Both bring great depth to this sparse, evocative homage to life in the South, with its images of roosters crowing and coffee brewing, and I loved the almost Elton John feel of it as well as the incredible note Daniel hits at the end!
That storytelling has always been one of Kyle's big strengths, and it's definitely out in force here. ‘Deep In The Woods' is a great example of this, with its harmonica intro and atmospheric melody enhancing the picture his lyrics paint of rattlesnakes, deer and darkness, whilst ‘Wild, Free And Easy' is a nostalgic reflection on his younger years with more of those big guitars and a chorus that absolutely soars. I also liked seeing him explore his more introspective side on songs such as ‘Running From Me', which pairs a bouncing melody and delicious slide guitar with a gravelly vocal and knowing lyrics that see him finally owning up to his mistakes rather than trying to escape them.
For me some of the record's best songs are those where Daniel delves deeper into things. ‘A Man Like That', a biting attack on a lover's terrible ex, teams a punchy rhythm with almost gospel touches. Although Daniel remains in control vocally throughout, you can sense the anger underneath the surface and it makes for an incredible moment of drama. Elsewhere, ‘Following The Rain' is a twangy, reflective track that sees Daniel tenderly explore the experience of dealing with depression and not knowing how to handle ‘when grey skies turn to blue', along with a wicked bluesy guitar riff. It isn't all doom and gloom though – I also loved the bright, uptempo ‘Me And My Old Man', which is full of joy and warmth and an irresistible toe-tapper, complete with an outro that echoes the Allman Brothers Band's ‘Jessica' (better known to UK readers as the Top Gear theme music!).
Daniel closes the project with two sister songs. ‘Everybody's Talkin”, featuring Sarah Zimmerman, has a slinking melody and a sense of defiance and doing it your own way that to me feels central to his whole ethos and comes full circle to ‘Can't Hold Me Back', as well as showing off some impressive vocal tricks. He follows that with ‘Divided We Are', a piano-led call for unity with an almost spiritual energy about it, and one that I can see as a moment at concerts where the crowd sways along and holds their phone lights in the air. With another signature guitar riff in there, it's a hopeful end to the project and leaves me already excited for where Daniel might be going next.
Overall ‘Kentucky Gold' is a testament to the power of perseverance and I have high hopes it will propel Kyle Daniel into the country music stratosphere. With incredible vocals, fantastic guitar work and a sound that harks back to classic 70s country rock whilst still feeling fresh and modern, you can tell it's been a real labour of love and it's sure to draw in new fans as well as thrilling those of us who've been with him from the early days. It's an absolute triumph of a record – here's hoping there's plenty more where that came from!
Track listing: 1. Can't Hold Me Back 2. Fire Me Up (featuring Maggie Rose) 3. Runnin' From Me 4. A Man Like That 5. Southern Sounds (featuring Kendell Marvel) 6. Me And My Old Man 7. Summer Down South (featuring The Cadillac Three) 8. Following The Rain 9. Deep In The Woods 10. Wild, Free And Easy 11. Everybody's Talkin' (featuring Sara Zimmerman) 12. Divided We Are Record label: Snakefarm Records Release date: 19th July 2024
See Kyle Daniel live in the UK this August:
Wednesday 21 August – King Tuts Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow (with Southall)
Thursday 22 August – O2 Academy3, Birmingham (with Southall)
Saturday 24 August – The Long Road Festival, Lutterworth
Monday 26 August – The Deaf Institute, Manchester (with Southall)
Tuesday 27 August – Bush Hall, London (with Southall)
