KILLALOE – The Killaloe Lions Hall was filled with expecting ears as attendees waited for The Russell Leon Band to hit the stage.
Russell Leon, lead guitarist and vocalist for the band, returned to his hometown of Killaloe to play his first CD release party of an upcoming tour.
“I want to play for not only people in Toronto, but also for people in rural Ontario… This is an important stop along the way,” Leon said. “That’s the reason I came back here, it is such a community. There is a real caring feeling about this area.”
Prior to them taking the stage, several of Leon’s close friends played for the crowd.
The band was playing in celebration of their newly released CD State of Mind, a new twist on today’s music.
It is a new collaboration of songs with an acoustic and electronic gyration, a very different sound than his last album.
This new record features songs like Hey Good Looking, State of Mind, and When You’re Down.
Catchy upbeat music to some slow driving through town songs, this album covers it all.
He said the one thing he got from this album was artistic satisfaction.
“I got to push myself… It is a real accomplishment,” Leon exclaimed.
With Boomerang as a high-tempo song, it is sure to have your toes tapping as you make your way down Highway 60, which is something Leon said he wants.
“I hope when they are driving in their car it makes the trip smoother,” he said.
Leon’s admitted that he felt a need to change his style due to the change in mainstream music; however he still kept his roots well intact.
Leon described his reinvention as an extension of who he is, and it shows in his music.
“It’s a singer/song writer vibe,” he said, “an unplugged aspect, acoustic guitar and voice. You can put any electronics with that and you are still going to get me.”
It took time to find the right sound for his music, but once he did, he reinvented himself and his sound, creating his new album as a way of celebrating.
Story continues in the November 21, 2012 issue of The Valley Gazette.