Troy Redfern releases “Sweet Carolina” single and music video from “The Wings of Salvation”

Following his recent singles Come On and GasolineTroy Redfern is set to release the T. Rex flavoured blues rock anthem, Sweet Carolina, on Friday, September 23rd. It’s the third single from his upcoming highly anticipated album The Wings of Salvation.  

The Sweet Carolina single coincides with the release of Troy’s new album The Wings of Salvation which is also released on Friday, September 23rd.

The album is available on CD and limited edition yellow and red splatter vinyl formats and is also available to stream and download from https://smarturl.it/sweet-carolina.

Album cover charcoal portrait by Troy Redfern

“Sweet Carolina is a good time rock ‘n’ roll tune about a woman who knows what she wants,” explains Troy. “She’s powerful, fearless, and driven. Echoes of T-Rex and The Stones reverberate across the slide guitar landscape, with a passionate homage to glam rock.”Produced by Dave Marks (Hans Zimmer) at the UK’s Dulcitone StudiosThe Wings of Salvation is an exciting new chapter in Redfern’s trajectory, not only as a slide guitarist but as a creative force in the recording studio.

“Sweet Carolina” photo by Adam Kennedy
“Sweet Carolina has a Jagger-like strut that will have you cutting a rug throughout this raucous rocker as it stomps along taking no prisoners.” –  5 Stars, Planet Mosh

“Sweet Carolina has an Alice Cooper-like vocal as it twists and turns, its insistency burning its way into your skull.” – Fireworks Magazine

“Sweet Carolina has a bounce and punch to it that reminds me of Marc Bolan and T-Rex in their best days and a solo that shows just what a resonator is capable of.” – 5 Stars, Music News.com

“Raw intensity… it’ll have you hooked.” – 10/10 ERB Magazine

“These songs are bigger, surer than anything Troy has done so far.” – 10/10 Powerplay Magazine

“Cutting edge, revolutionary slide guitarist, Troy Redfern, shows no signs of slowing down.” – Blues in Britain

“Troy Redfern’s blues rock-slide repertoire shines on this stunning new release.”  – Blues Matters
“My goal was to make a record that was a true representation of where I am right now as an artist,” says Redfern. “I wanted to create something in the spirit of the old school classic rock albums that I grew up listening to.”

After releasing an unprecedented six albums in just under two years, Troy’s new album The Wings of Salvation, is his most compelling work to date. The album highlights Redfern’s powerfully edgy vocal delivery, condensed songwriting skills, and tight arrangements, complimented by his trademark “firebrand” slide guitar playing.

“I felt like the time was right to head back into the studio as the creative juices were flowing,” says Redfern. “On the new album, I wanted to approach the recording process by starting with a completely clean slate.” I wrote the new album from scratch in just under five weeks, in the same way that the bands that I grew up listening to use to do. It makes everything fresh and immediate. It’s an accurate snapshot of where you are as an artist at that moment.” Says Troy,
“Dave Marks, my producer, and I also decided early on we wanted an old-school aesthetic for this album, in that we wanted no studio fixes, no autotune, no drum editing or samples. It had to be real, with only complete takes, no chopping up parts in post-production to make them sound perfect. We wanted an album that authentically captured my sound. I feel satisfied in knowing that we achieved what we set out to accomplish, and I couldn’t be prouder of this album.”
“My 1935 Dobroresonator features heavily on the new album along with my MagnatoneTwilighter amplifier,” reflects Redfern. “I found this to be a killer combination. It’s such a huge tone without the need for layers and layers of guitar tracks.”

For drum duties, Dave enlisted the skills of Paul Stewart, the drummer from chart toppers The Feeling. Troy says, “Dave felt that Paul was the perfect fit to play the drums on this album. He connected with my new material and took it to another level.” “It was important for me to get the right drum sound for this album as that’s the foundation everything else is built on,” recalls Redfern. “I wanted a more three-dimensional, ‘open’ sound for this record.”We used Lee Russell’s Dulcitone Studios in Kettering to track the drums, which is a beautifully converted church, and it has the most amazing natural reverb sound.

The results are astounding. On the new album, we’ve managed to take the production to the next level.” “Mastering is an important part of making a great sounding record” explains Troy. “Abbey Road Studios was the only option. It has a gold-standard reputation for the best mastering facilities in the world.

I decided that Sean Magee would be the perfect choice to master the new album. His credentials include the BeatlesDeep PurpleJohn Lennonthe RamonesTina TurnerSex PistolsRush, and Iron Maiden. He turned out to be an excellent choice. He gave the album that gorgeous shine Abbey Road is renowned for.

Album Track Listing
1. Gasoline (3:53)
2. Sweet Carolina (3:54)
3. Come On (3:50)
4. Navajo (3:24)
5. Mercy (4:06)
6. Can’t Let Go (4:21)
7. Dark Religion (3:20)
8. Profane (3:00)
9. Down (3:30)
10. Heart & Soul (3:47)

Production Credits Troy Redfern: Lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals

Dave Marks: Bass guitar, piano, keyboards, percussion, banjo, additional guitars, backing vocals
Paul Stewart: Drums
Produced by Dave Marks at Two Wolves Studios
Engineered by Dave Marks and Troy Redfern
Drums recorded by Lee Russell at Dulcitone Studios
Mixed by Jo Webb at XXX Studios
Mastered by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios

Track By Track
Gasoline
The album opens with a slice of pure 21st-century southern rock. Delivered with Troy’s feral slide guitar playing, heavy low tuned resonator guitars, and a monster 7/8 groove. Positive vibes abound lyrically with themes of “good times up ahead,” and “nothing’s gonna stand in your way.” Gasoline is hi-octane, good-time rock n roll.
Sweet Carolina
Sweet Carolina is a celebration of fiercely independent women everywhere and has a ‘Stones’ meets ‘Bolan’ feel that permeates this upbeat sunshine rocker. Despite the hat tip to the past this is a truly ‘Redfern’ tune with Troy’s trademark nicotine-drenched vocals and slide guitar.
Come On
This bombastic, high-energy blues boogie comes out of the gate like a tasered rodeo horse. A traditional blues beat, but on steroids with a dash of glam rock, Come On epitomises what Troy does best – fuzzed-up slide guitar, big choruses, and raw slide guitar solos.
Navajo
Resonator guitars conjure up hazy images of the dust-blown plains of the Wild West. Lyrically, it’s inspired by the 1864 Long Walk of the Navajo nation; used as an allegory of the loss of modern-day freedoms in all their forms.
Mercy
Opening with a vintage vibe slide motif, Mercy bursts into a wall of uplifting guitars and Paul Stewart’s half-time epic power groove. Dealing with themes of doomed love and moving on from bad situations, Mercy’s chorus opens up like a break in the clouds leaving nothing but blue skies ahead.Can’t Let Go
Lyrically, Can’t Let Go explores the feelings of watching world events play out in the media. It’s about the desire to dislocate from the negativity that we’re all force-fed daily, and the need to reconnect with what really matters in life.
Dark Religion
This song is the prequel to The Line and Ghosts. Played on a vintage 1935 Dobro resonator in a 3/4 sea shanty vibe, it follows the story of a girl setting sail to a new land with her hopes and dreams, but she inevitably comes to the realisation that all that glitters isn’t gold.
Profane
Like Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’ Sin City meets the punk energy of The Damned, this high-octane psychobilly car chase soundtrack roars through the noir cityscape at breakneck speed. Revenge, retribution and finally redemption. Redfern lets it rip by with tasty guitar licks courtesy of his vintage 1962 Silvertone Jupiter guitar.
Down
Underpinned with a tribal voodoo beat and brooding rhythm guitars, Down’s verse simmers with tension before exploding headlong into its supercharged chorus. The harmonised vocals of middle eight almost feel ethereal, before it jumps into a slash and burn guitar solo.
Heart & Soul
Heart & Soul strips things right back to the essentials with guitar, voice, and kick drum. Having the vibe and intensity of one of Troy’s solo performances, the raw energy is evident, especially in the extended guitar solo where the guitar sounds like it’s crying out in anguish.

DARE OCTOBER 2022 UK TOUR SPECIAL GUEST: TROY REDFERN
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM

WWW.THEGIGCARTEL.COM 

Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
Thursday 6 October 2022

Newcastle, The Cluny
Friday 7 October 2022

Glasgow, The Garage
Saturday 8 October 2022

Bury St Edmunds, The Apex
Thursday 13 October 2022

Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
Friday 14 October 2022

Bilston, The Robin
Saturday 15 October 2022

Shoreham Ropetackle, Brighton
Friday 21 October 2022

Southampton, 1865
Saturday 22 October 2022

Bristol, Fleece
Sunday 23 October 2022

London, O2 Academy Islington
Thursday 27 October 2022

Manchester, Academy
Friday 28 October 2022

Newbury, Arlington Arts Centre
Saturday 29 October 2022

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