"A 72-year-old rock'n'roll delinquent with a righteous touch": Walter Trout gets heavy and heartfelt on new album Broken

Welcome to Walter Trout's world of damaged goods

Walter Trout: Broken cover art
(Image: © Provogue)

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Known primarily as a blues-rock shredder, Walter Trout is also a prolific songwriter, with an eye for lyrical detail, and his Broken album embraces an impressive sprawl of Americana and melodic-rock genres. He sings and blows a pretty cool harmonica too. 

With tracks ranging from the fire-and-brimstone narrative of Heaven Or Hell to the gentle romantic ballad I Wanna Stay, co-written with his wife Marie, Trout testifies about the life and times of a 72-year-old rock’n’roll delinquent with a righteous touch. 

I’ve been sanctified and terrified, I’ve been denied and thrown aside,’ he yells (along with Dee Snider) on I’ve Had Enough. Best of all is the title track, a heroic, punch-the-air power-duet with Beth Hart – another of rock’s messed-up-soul survivors – who joins him on his journey from social disintegration to spiritual redemption: ‘These pieces break away, and all that I have left is out here on display.’ 

Heavy and heartfelt.

David Sinclair

Musician since the 1970s and music writer since the 1980s. Pop and rock correspondent of The Times of London (1985-2015) and columnist in Rolling Stone and Billboard magazines. Contributor to Q magazine, Kerrang!, Mojo, The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph, et al. Formerly drummer in TV Smith’s Explorers, London Zoo, Laughing Sam’s Dice and others. Currently singer, songwriter and guitarist with the David Sinclair Four (DS4). His sixth album as bandleader, Apropos Blues, is released 2 September 2022 on Critical Discs/Proper.

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