Cooking Vinyl (label)
21 January 2022 (released)
08 January 2022
Yes, it's THAT Kiefer Sutherland, he of 'Lost Boys', 'Stand By Me' and '24' fame (amongst others). It turns out that his talents are not restricted to acting, as in recent years, he's turned his hand to music; recording two albums worth of country and Americana, and supporting them with some seriously intense touring schedules. 'Bloor Street' is his third record, and the follow-up to 2019's highly successful 'Reckless & Me'.
It has to be said that musically, his sound is rather middle of the road. Although there are flashes of the likes of Johnny Cash and Bruce Springsteen throughout 'Bloor Street', it's hard to imagine it casting the kind of shadow that 'Born In the USA' or 'Al Folsom Prison' still do to this day. It's perhaps the record's weakest point that at times, Sutherland sounds like he's too settled in his groove, with numbers like 'Lean Into Me' and 'So Full Of Love' just sort of drifting by pleasantly.
His main strength, though, is his knack for story-telling, and his tales of brushes with the law ('County Jail Gate') and the instantly relatable ode to touring that is 'Chasing The Rain' are highly compelling. Apparently, Sutherland is quite the raconteur in the live setting, and it certainly sounds like there are a wealth of great stories behind these songs.
Considering that actors-turned-musicians generally don't have a great track record (remember Keanu Reeves' Dogstar? No? Lucky you), 'Bloor Street' marks Kiefer Sutherland out as a talented musician in his own right - even if, sometimes, you sense he's capable of greater things.
