Van Wilks Bombay Tears

2016, Van Wilk's debut album has become something of a cult artefact amongst aficionados of the obscure, ignored at the time of release but, over time, it has been slowly picking up a reputation as one of the most intelligent and compelling releases of the era. BOMBAY TEARS is not blues rock, jazz rock, hard rock or acoustic rock but a wonderfully addictive combination of all those styles and more. It emits a certain laid back vibe that provides a warm, comforting backdrop to what you might imagine Texas to sound like if it could talk. The beauty of this album is its shifting, yet widescreen soundscape, kitted out with a brace of well written and arranged songs that, although stylistically divergent, have a common thread, from full on hard rock to hard-nosed boogie and even jazz. Van is a renowned blues guitarist, carving out a reputation that has even caught the ears of master craftsmen from the Lone Star State, including ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons. Originally released in 1980 and produced by John Stronach.