Mention the name Ronnie Le Tekro to guitar players and you will hear comments like “guitar god”, “axe master” and “genius” and to be honest he deserves all those descriptions thanks to his amazing contributions over the years with his band TNT.  He has always come across as being different to the rest of the pack and is undoubtedly a guitar stylist extraordinaire  as well as a superb composer. But getting down to business, anyone who is expecting Ronnie’s new album to be in the vein of TNT is likely to be disappointed. “Kingdom Of Norway” is a solo album in every sense of the word with Le Tekro writing, composing and playing what he wants and not what is expected and as a result he has come up with music that is charming, beguiling, involved, emotional and ultimately very original.

Le Tekro's approach to harmony has always been very developed and intricate and he has a talent for taking music down paths and around corners that other musicians would never dream of. Initially Kingdom of Norway sounded very lo-fi recording wise but further plays reveals the album to be a treasure trove of guitar textures and cutting edge studio techniques making the whole thing a roller coaster of a listen, the only time you hear Le Tekro's trademark machine gun like phrasing in any depth is on the title track itself, a song that is big and gets bigger as it develops. The chorus is instantly memorable and the play out at the end demonstrates Ronnie’s talent for layering parts to create sonic soundscapes that you won’t hear anywhere else. Getting away from what you would expect from the guitarist there is the trippy, hippy feel of Happy which has the spirit of T-Rex running through it or the almost waltz like Missing Mrs Hippie and You.

“From A Bird’s Perspective” is one of this reviewers favourite moments on the album. It’s an instrumental that’s adventurous, playful and tender all at the same time. It’s kind of a slow burn jam with moments that recall the playing of George Harrison and Brian May. It’s wonderfully melodic and is a  track that you will never tire of and then there's the  glorious ballad that is “Crazy Bout You”, mainly keyboard led until the very cool guitar solo tips things over the edge. The song bleeds into”1976” a very psychedelic and free flowing instrumental that sounds like its being written in front of the listener.

Any descriptions of the songs on offer here can only scratch the surface of what is a very original release from a musician who dares to be different and refuses to be stereotyped. There is a lot more to Ronnie Le Tekro than first meets the eye. In an era where upcoming guitar players seem to want to directly copy and become their heroes instead of forging their own identity Le Tekro stands as a shining beacon of originality and wonderful creativity. So if you’re looking for some TNT like musical rushes you won’t find it here. However if you want to be entertained and like things just a bit out of the ordinary this release will satisfy the most jaded listener.

Al Hey