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Photo: Courtesy of the artist

The Billy Walton Band Rock Out on ‘Dark Hour’ (album stream)

New Jersey guitar master, Billy Walton returns with an eclectic mix of sounds that demonstrates why he's a favorite in both the blues and jam band worlds. Despite Dark Hour's title, there's more than a little light to go around.

Dark Hour is the new release from the Billy Walton Band, led by New Jersey guitar master, Billy Walton. With a previous musical tenure that included a stint with the legendary Southside Johnny, he has also shared the stage with Little Steven, Steven Tyler and others.

The Billy Walton Band‘s eclectic mix of sounds has won the group fans in both the blues and jam band worlds as evidenced on this new 12-track release, which was engineered by the Grammy-nominated Jim Salamone. There are hints of classic and Southern rock throughout, R&B and, of course, a little bit of blues with Walton’s finely layered guitar work providing an important but never overpowering presence. It’s a tasteful blend of showmanship and musicality that shines more than a little light into the seeming void.

“Making Dark Hour, besides writing the songs, finding the tone color for each track, was a blast,” Walton says. “I used vintage Marshalls Fender tweeds, Fender Blackfaces, and Kendrick amps, multiple Strats, Teles, Les Pauls and a really cool Roger Mayer Spitfire, Mongoose, and Voodoo vibe to get the sound for each song. It was fun to always play the song all the way through with a take, the old way of recording. All about the vibe.”

He adds, “It was such a pleasure recording in such a creative atmosphere and everybody on the same page. For an album called Dark Hour there was an awful lot of smiles during the recording sessions.”

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