This feature was originally published at antimusic.com in June 2000 as the Artist of the Month.

I come down from the mountain to proclaim the good news! Guitar Rock is alive and well and embodied in the new guitar hero Sean Abbott. 

Abbott's ambitious debut album Atomic Invasion leaves no rockin blues stone unturned. Abbott follows in the grand tradition of the blues rock pioneer's. From the crying blues notes of the great B.B. King to the hard rocking Ritchie Blackmoore and Jimmy Page. With the classic rock styling of Jeff Beck to the southern blues rock of the Allman Brothers band and Stevie Ray Vaughan - Sean Abbott covers all the bases giving fans of these legends something to cheer about. 

The previous statement was not meant to convey that Sean Abbott mearly mimics the guitar styling of Page, Blackmoore, King, and Vaughan. Indeed, he brings the greatest aspects of the blues rock of the past into the 21st century. 

He just may bring about a renaissance of the bluesy guitar God. He fills that role well with an ambitious debut album that will captivate the listener and inspire a new generation of kids to pick up the guitar. From just one listen to Atomic Invasion it is apparent that great rock n roll will never really go out of style. As long as there are musicians like Abbott willing to carry the craft to the masses. 

While most legends of the blues rock tradition come from England - Page, Beck, Blackmoore, Peter Greene and Clapton. Sean Abbott hails from the most unlikely of spots the"Great White North" of Canada. From his home base of Toronto he has become a local sensation who stands poised to bring his music to the ears of fans around the world. 

The first step on that journey is a U.S. record deal. That is in the making as you read this. And the Internet has opened an entire new world for musicians across the globe. No longer limited by radio airplay or word of mouth an artist can reach a world wide audience with the click of a mouse.  Whichever route Sean Abbott takes he is sure to amass a loyal following among those who are sick and tired of the limited musical ability of rap-core bands and the assembly line processed sounds of pop bands that seem to dominate the music charts these days. 

It is not only his prowess as a guitar virtuoso that makes Sean a rock hero in the making. As demonstrated on Atomic Invasion he is no slouch when it comes to vocals either. His clearly unique voice conveys the white boy blues sentiment of the songs exceptionally well. Fans of the Bluesier side of Robert Plant, the southern charm of Stevie Ray Vaughan and the hard rocking Paul Rodgers will feel right at home with Abbott's vocal style and sound. 

Additionally, unlike with other guitar heroes the songs are not simply vehicles designed to showcase Sean's solos and his lead guitarist ability. When you pop Atomic Invasion into your CD player you will get 12 solidly crafted songs that display an attention to detail that goes beyond simply spotlighting the guitar work. Sean gathered together a world class group of musicians to play on the album and it shows. 

Atomic Invasion encompasses the entire realm of the Blues Rock world. The certain crowd pleasers include the hard southern rock feel of the title track to the classic acoustic blues of Devil's Pride.  The mid tempo rocker Sail Away and the crying blues notes reminiscent of B.B. King on Shade of Blue will immerse the listener in musical Nirvana. Let's not forget the equally impressive Deep Purple-esq sound of the instrumental Thunder Pants and the blues guitars that take on an almost symphonic quality in Eastern Sky that are sure to remind rock fans why the blues are the foundation of rock. 

This article may come off as an exercise in hype. For that I apologize. I am being honest when I say that from the moment I heard the first note of the Sean Abbott Band CD I was blown away. There is no other way to state that fact.  The entire reason we have these artist of the Month specials it to expose great new artist to our visitors. And the Sean Abbott Band was an obvious choice for us. Use the link below to go sample some of the tracks off of Atomic Invasion and see if you disagree with the sentiment conveyed here.

I know I am not alone in expressing my gratitude to Sean Abbott for keeping Blues Rock alive. The only complaint I have - what took you so long?Want some more?

Visit the Sean Abbott Band web site for Multimedia, news, bio and more. Plus you can buy Atomic Invasion online!

Fan Speak

Fan Speak:

razzy
well i seen this guy in the past and let me tell you what a let down.Talk about dated music.I guess its alright if you are stuck in the past.Move on its all been done much better before.Better licks better lyrics and most of all his voice sucks.Sorry for the taste of reality guys.