Kenneth Roy - 2008 - No Dice

(34:44; Physico Records)

Track list:
1. Fantasy Fifteen 3:51
2. Something to Say 5:25
3. No Dice 6:34
4. You Can Find a Better Way 3:11
5. Nobody Falls in Love Anymore 2:50
6. You Don't Need Me 3:15
7. December 5:24
8. Shiny Lake 4:14

Line-up:
Kenneth Roy - vocals, various instruments
with:
Michael Spears - guitars
Baron Chase - bass
Dr. Ryman - synthesizers, bass, organ, keytar
Val Caray's - programming


US artist Kenneth Roy has been a part of the US music scene for a good number of years, and while his main webpage doesn't easily indicate just how long he has been active, a quick Google search tracked down a self-titled album released back in 1995. Hence this is an artist that has been around for a bit. The album "No Dice" dates back to 2008, and was released through the label Physico Records, a label I suspect may be the artist's own label.

This is a production featuring material that to a lesser or greater extent appears to be aimed towards the more pop-oriented parts of the music landscape. Roy and his contributors does expand upon the typical pop song a bit though, but at the core level this album revolves around pop music rather than rock music as such.

The majority of the compositions are oriented around a fairly gentle foundation, with the keyboards and the tangents as the most vital instruments in use and with the vocals having a dominating spot for the verse and chorus sections. A little bit of soul is applied, especially for the vocal passages, while the bass in particular has a tendency to add a little bit of a funk flavor as an undercurrent. With a few occasional side steps into reggae and Caribbean inspired landscapes, the former executed in a manner that gave me associations to good, old The Police.

As far as the exceptions go, these are found at the start of this album, where opening cut 'Fantasy Fifteen' is more of a straight up blues rock affair, and the following borderline jazzy pop ballad 'Something to Say' alternates between this more gentle pop expression and a grittier and more groove oriented blues rock expression with the electric guitar as the dominant instrument.

While I do find this to be a fun and interesting production, this isn't an album that strikes me as being extraordinary on any level. Those with a passion and a specific interest in the type of music explored here will find this album to be a solid offering, but my impression is that the appeal of this production beyond that specific niche will be limited. Possibly with the more expressive songs placed at the start of the album being a bit of a disservice to what I believe is the main audience of this album. If gentle and flowing music with more of a pop music orientation and a bit of a playful spirit is your kind of music, hit the third track of this album and start listening. If you don't mind a bit of blues rock added to that mix, start with the opening track.

Olav M. Björnsen, November 2023

Links:
http://www.kennethroymusic.com/