Although he may be classified as a rap or hip-hop artist,
Mark "Kaz" Kasperczk, operating under the name
Redlight King, combines singing and rhythmic patter in a style not so much reminiscent of
Kanye West as of
Red Hot Chili Peppers'
Anthony Kiedis or even ‘80s pop star
Corey Hart of "Sunglasses at Night" fame.
Kasperczk's own claim to fame so far is "Old Man," his recasting of fellow Canadian
Neil Young's classic, which samples the
Young record, but, in its rap, pays tribute to a different kind of "old man,"
Kasperczk's father. The artist comes across as far more experienced than might be expected of a performer on his debut record. What other first-time effort has a song called "Comeback"? But this is a weathered guy who is, as he notes in "Drivin to Kalifornia," still chased by the Devil, which in his case means substance abuse. In the folk ballad "When the Dust Settles Down," which closes the disc and recalls
Shawn Mullins' "Lullaby,"
Kasperczk confesses to having committed all of the seven deadly sins, but the album serves notice that he has overcome his addictions and is grateful for another chance. ~ William Ruhlmann