7/10
As the first artist to record a full project at the Les Paul Recording Studio, Joey Stuckey could easily have made the room itself the story. Instead, his new six-track EP 'King of Strongs' is built around the simple idea of getting a great band together, capturing the songs in a single day and letting the sound of musicians reacting to one another do the rest.
Throughout the release, his guitar playing sits front and centre, but the EP never becomes an exercise in virtuosity for its own sake. Bassist Dusty Wakeman and drummer David Raven give the songs real movement, allowing it to jump confidently between blues, Americana, power pop and rock 'n' roll without losing its identity.
Lead single 'Temple in the Wind' provides the emotional anchor. Written for his wife Jennifer, the song treats love as sanctuary; the person who remains safe when everything around you becomes uncertain. Its warmth is matched by the immediacy of the recording, giving the track the feeling of something deeply personal being shared without unnecessary distance.
While 'Born To Be Your Toy', co-written with Charlie Hoskyns, turns an unhealthy relationship into something sharp and playful, while 'Hertsmere Blues' gives the artist room to simply let loose on voice and guitar. 'Baby Don't' is even more mischievous, imagining a collision between the Beatles and Chuck Berry and throwing in enough musical twists to keep the idea from becoming pastiche.
But it's the title-track that carries the project's history most directly. Originally inspired by Macon’s extraordinary guitar lineage and Duane Allman, 'King of Strings' was reshaped to include Les Paul himself. And in this setting, that tribute feels completely natural.
Closing with Cream's 'Sunshine Of Your Love' is an equally inspired choice. Offering something familiar enough to feel communal, yet heavy enough to leave a mark.
After three decades as a musician, producer, educator and advocate, Joey Stuckey hardly needs another achievement to legitimise his career. Still, 'King of Strings' feels truly special. It captures a great guitarist in a legendary room, surrounded by history but completely immersed in the present.
