Van Wilks - Bombay Tears

Digitally remastered and expanded edition of this 1980 album including four bonus tracks and 12 page full color booklet with 3,500 word essay, enhanced artwork and full artist involvement. If Texan music has a sound then Van Wilks would be the perfect example. You may never have heard of him, but that's okay, as he never really intended to be place himself on a pedestal. Van'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 it's 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. Oh, and in case you don't know, 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 (Joe Walsh, Sammy Hagar and REO Speedwagon), this first time on CD release has been bolstered by the addition of the rare 1982 independently pressed Boystown EP.