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KENNY HARLAN
'Waiting for You'
Genre: 'Pop' - Release Date: '2006'
With its easygoing mix of Adult Contemporary, country, and light blues, "Waiting for You," the debut from singer/songwriter Kenny Harlan (http://www.kennyharlan.com), charms and soothes the ears, especially that of older listeners. Harlan is a pop artist with a country heart; his voice echoes not only MOR superstars such as Dan Fogelberg and James Taylor but country icons like Toby Keith and Tim McGraw as well. His songwriting is clean and straightforward, which is just right for the audience of this material.
Harlan's songs are simple pleasures; they are finely crafted and gentle, reflecting traditional family values in its spirit. Harlan's voice is soothing and brimming with heart. Although he wears his heart on his sleeve, Harlan doesn't wallow in self-pity. Even when he sings of unrequited love, such as on "Letting You Go," the tone in his voice is more of acceptance than pale-skinned sorrow.
Much of the record has a commercial country bent, mainly in its slick production although the instrumentation here - guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards - is fairly rootsy and avoids any studio gimmicks. That gives the tunes substance in its sound, honest meat and potatoes pop/rock. Moreover, Harlan sings like a country singer, whether that is intentional or not. Even "Think About You," which is essentially a lyrical homage to the Beatles, has country radio written all over it.
The guitar playing is especially strong. Check out the bluesy riffs on "Waiting for You" and "California Sky."
author: Adam Harrington
- Whisperin & Hollerin
Singer/songwriter Kenny Harlan satisfies a different kind of late '70s-early '80s nostalgia, not the New Wave fixations that you sometimes see under this byline but to the glory days of Adult Contemporary radio. Before AC became simply rap-free Top-40, it was once the home of the sensitive male superstar, from hitmakers such as DAn Fogelberg and james Taylor to the forgotten Michael Murphey ("Wildfire") and the sadly underrated Gerry Rafferty ("Baker Street"). Indie hipsters in their 30s will never cop to like that stuff even though they were singing along to those AM favorites in the back of their parents' cars growing up.
Harlan belongs in that category. Most of the songs on Waiting for You are about love, from romantic rejection ("Letting You Go") to long-distance relationships ("She's Coming," which seems to be an autobiographical tale of Harlan and his wife, a Ukraine native). They're all polished well, each of them given an FM-radio sheen for what is largely AM radio confectionery. Like the best AM staples from that era, Harlan is backed by solid studio musicians. They provide sweeping riffs on "Dreams" and bluesy textures on the title track and "California Sky." In addition, Harlan has an obvious affection for classic country music which is expressed through the Southern hospitality of his voice. "Tennessee Wind," "Amsterdam," and "California Sky" could all pass for country tunes in the same way that, for instance, John Denver was able to crossover from pop to country to pop again. It's a fragile balancing act that is smooth as silk.
Harlan tracks the catchiest tunes up front, especially "THing About Love" with its delicious feminine hooks, but the record finds even more depth, artistically and lyrically, as it progresses. I am particularly fond of "The Round," which has Harlan's finest vocals and outstanding guitar work.
This is sweet, warm, and friendly music that will most likely give flashbacks of classic Adult Contemporary radio, when songwriting and musicianship meant everything. The humble purpose of Waiting for You is to move you, make you feel good; it's not revolutionary rock and roll. Harlan sings from the heart, and you can feel his calming spirit in every track.
Written by Michael Sutton
- cdreviews.com
Discography
Full length debut CD "Waiting for You"
Acoustic Rainbow Vol. 30
Pump Audio - Getty Images
Tennessee Wind and Waiting for You both have radio play
Photos
Bio
Persistence. Determination. Communication.
Three descriptive definitions that encapsule the life of singer/songwriter Kenny Harlan.
Born Kenneth Harlan Sachs, he was raised by working-class parents, just a stone’s throw
(or two) away from Wrigley Field in Chicago. Being a Cubs fan was in his genes. So was an all-
around athleticism (baseball, football and basketball) and a burning desire to fulfill his musical
calling. After harmonizing with the junior high chorus, Kenny’s first taste of what would later
become his life’s ambition came when he and two of his buddies entered a school talent show,
with rousing renditions of “Rock Around the Clock” and “Crocodile Rock.”
Even though music was in his blood, college was in his immediate future. Choosing to
lay down his music to pursue what would eventually be a stable and profitable career path,
Kenny left the familiar confines of Chicago and went west to seek his fortune. Arizona State and
USC were among the first stops on Kenny Harlan’s cross-country trek, where he began
cultivating his financial and sales skills with degrees in business administration and financial
planning.
Though the business years were kind to Kenny, the passionate desire to speak his life
through music never left him. His “no-looking-back” moment came in 2003 after he took a
collection of songs he had written over the course of three years and recorded his first demo.
The songs, while still raw and rough around the edges to Kenny’s liking, were every bit about
who he was and what he wanted to communicate. From that point on, he picked up the music he
had once so reluctantly laid down and began pursuit of his dream.
After moving to Nashville, he met his soon-to-be wife, Marina (a Ukraine native) while
on a connecting flight to Munich. When you see Kenny in concert, look around the room.
Somewhere, you’ll find Kenny’s biggest fan, as both she and Kenny share a love of music and
the open road. As a matter of fact, if you listen closely to Kenny’s debut CD, you’ll hear
snapshots of Kenny’s life, painting pictures of broken relationships (“Letting You Go”),
unrequited and requited love (“Amsterdam”, “Thing About Love”) and longing for the girl of his
dreams (“Waiting for You”). The Beatles, Genesis, James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg . . . these
powerhouse acts have had a profound influence on Kenny, not so much in style, as in the ability
to craft a song with lilting pop/acoustic/rock melodies and memorable hooks.
Simple, but never simplistic, these are songs that encompass chords you can play and
choruses you can sing along with.
That’s Kenny Harlan music. Real. Genuine. And from the heart.
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