Alan Kennedy-Mahrudin - Progressive Voyages Review PV129
This album is Alan's sole release thus far, although he has been playing music for several years now, What has helped him reach the goal of making his own music has been the mentorship of Dave Brons who every years mentors a dozen guitar students and Imparts his knowledge and skills in the creation and development of their own musical identity, Alan was one of Dave’s students in the year of 2023/2024. Dave’s mentorship has given Alan enough skills and confidence to make his own music
This album Mahrudin is the result, it is an album that mixes Alan's classical leanings with his Scottish, Irish and Scandinavian heritage and brings them all together in the fictious tale of Mahrudin The Myths And Legends.
The album is Instrumental in nature and everything appears to be performed by Alan at his studio at home in Durham, North East England in 2025 with the album officially released through Bandcamp in January 2026.
The album consists of 10 tracks wwhich are mainly around the 4 minute mark although the opening track A New Beginning, along with The Battle are both over 6 minutes in length.
There is a very informative document that details the story of the album that can be found here www.alankennedymusic if you search for the document it can be found.
The album commences with A New Beginning, with a moody voice over from Alan and some evocative keyboard textures and sounds, Before a Solo guitar line plays a suitably epic Celtic styled lick When piano drums and bass all join the sound, The album is pretty epic in style, Tone and sound and is probably best heard at a louder volume in order to catch all the subtle elements that are on offer,
Alan can certainly play as he shows here, Also his bass work is solid and strong,
Next track is The Power And The Glory, which opens with a rippling piano and powerful drums bass and another soaring guitar linethat seeks to ascend and climb, it has a great melody and sounds really great, there is a keyboard section with an excellent bass part before the guitar line returns once again, this track is wonderfully supported by a very prominent bass line.
Next up is Wild Horses, which initially at least is more acoustic in style, however it is not long before the guitar returns to make it’s presence known once more, The track has an almost sprightly reel type sound to it, You can't help but be impressed with as this most professionally sounding album, Alan uses some fine sustained guitar tones in the mid section of the track who really captures the attention, This album is one that will invariably creep up on you, It is one that works its way into your affections as it is a very warm sounding album with strong memorable tracks that have a real beauty to them.
The Fields Of Keltholm follows this is a very gracefully flowing track with a good guitar melody and motif to its sound,
The Witch Of Vikhol follows which has some bells in the opening bars and a good piano melody and motif, With some interesting guitar tones,sounds played in union and tandem with the bass, the guitar line then takes over to fade away a little as keyboards take centre stage before the guitar returns once more playing freely and fluidly
The Battle is on next and this has an atmospheric opening sound with deep notes and drums and storm effects, The guitar takes on an almost driven sound playing a great riff or part all very restrained and subtle, Yet still with inherent power at play, the guitar solo is double tracked most effectively the tones, Alan employs here are really fine and interesting, He uses the whammy bar to great effect here too, there is a saxaphone part possibly keyboards? This section is most compelling and really impressive.the track ends with susttained guitar.
Orca Gaurdian Of The Seas is next, This has very atmospheric water, Sea and surf sounds to open with a deep bass note and drums to effect the sound of the seas, again there are double tracked and harmony guitar lines to appreciate, I really like how this all comes together to reflect the role the orca plays in the tale, Great guitar here too. Another Fine Track on a most agreeable album of music.
The Warrior Returns is next, This begins withba deeomsynth note and brass sounds from the keyboards, there are also bagpipe sounds ( keyboards I expect) that sound very good indeed especially in tandem with the fluid guitar line that Alan plays, The track has a brief guitar solo that leads back to the main melody, The bass and drums sound good here too as the bagpipe returns once again for the guitar to play onwards, Before the bagpipes play on towards the tracks conclusion, An imaginative collection of sounds in this track which I really like,
Calling The Elves follows and is the albums Penultimate track, this has more pipe sounds and deep booming drums itvsound suitably epic Celtic styled in sound, there are more ethereal voices and this leads into a reel type section with some great melodic guitar tones in its closing section.
Aurora Goddess Of Light concludes this great little album, This has sequenced keyboards and a mighty organ part to it and some very Dire Straits type guitar lines, All very Celtic styled in tone which given that Dave Brons was instrumental in the mentorship of Alan is hardly surprising, Although Dave’s influence is apparent it is not overbearing or overshadows Alan's own remarkable achievements here.
I heartily recommend this album Although I suggest that you listen with the informative booklet and suitably loud enough to really hear all that is happening throughout the entire album. If there was one criticism I would make it is to suggest adding vocals next time and also having a few tracks where the guitar is truly unleashed, but that just my thoughts.
Info here:Alan Kennedy Music https://share.google/w7Bcyw5wXp4fhDYqa
Author John Wenlock-Smith Thursday 12th March 2026.