After five years it's finally here. This debut album has everything from acoustic instrumentals to rocking political satire. Electronic, soulful and memorable melodies are packed together in a fresh, eclectic mix.

10 MP3 Songs in this album (38:11) !
Related styles: Rock: Modern Rock, Rock: Adult Alternative Pop/Rock, Featuring Guitar

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Details:
Walking Uphill is a collection of songs written during the past five years and a clear identification of Rob writing from his heart soul. The songs capture his thoughts and feelings and the songs run through a wide array of themes and emotions. âThere's been some tough times for my family, my friends and myself. There's been a lot of good times and experiences as well. Directly and indirectly, these songs reflect my experiences through most of my adult life. These songs are not aimed at teen angst or rebellion.â

Rob spent a number of years playing guitar in a Chicago-Area blues band called the Mars Blues Band. "I had a lot of fun and learned a ton about live performance. Most importantly, i learned how to listen to other musicians in the band. I think that experience helped me write better music. I try to focus on the whole ensemble not just the guitar."

"This record has been a challenging process but it's also been very rewarding. The songs were created and recorded in a quiet, secluded setting. I spent a lot of time writing and recording on different instruments trying to get the right textures for each song. Guitar is my instrument. I could have recruited other musicians to play the other parts from the start. But i had a sound and a style i was going after. I wasn't interested, for example, in proper bass playing. I was interested in getting the sounds i wanted out of each instrument. The only time i recruited my friends was for the song 'Politician'. There's a rock group vibe i wanted and we certainly achieved that."

Rob was willing to go to great lengths to find unique sounds. "On one track i literally used pots and pans for percussion. If it fits the part, why not?"

Rob is quick to point out the project wasn't entirely a solo effort. "My friend, Andy Lagis, was invaluable. He's the Pro Tools master. It also doesn't hurt that he's a real musician. He has more credentials than i do!"

Andy was the drum tech for Anthrax for several years. He traveled with the band all over the world keeping their sound in tact in every environment imaginable.

"I think his exposure to their sound and technology was a huge benefit for me. I could bring anything to Andy and he had both the technical chops and musicianship to make the recordings better. He's very easy to work with and made the experience much more enjoyable. I would have gone mad trying to edit and produce everything myself."

Walking Uphill is a very organic sound with a number of influences. "I'll let the listener try to figure out what some of the influences are. More than anything i hope listeners will enjoy this as an album -like the old days!"

Rob McCoy
December 2011