Ted Z and The Wranglers pay homage to the musical traditions of the American West on latest LP, ‘Kerosene’

BASED out of Huntington Beach, Southern California, Ted Z and The Wranglers have unveiled new long player, ‘Kerosene,’ a magnificent collection of songs paying homage to the musical traditions of the American West.

“The album is a continuation of the evolution of our songwriting,” said frontman and founder, Ted Zakka, “and we think it is our best work thus far. It offers moments of contemplation but is also a fun and cohesive sonic ride. We want our listeners to be able to spin the entire album and feel a full gamut of emotions. It took a few years to finish this project, but that let us road-test these songs and grow together as a band, and I think you can hear that in the arrangements and performances.”

Lyrically – and musically – worthy of Tom Petty, lead single ‘Right That Wrong’ is a twist on the classic romantic tale, a call to action for the lovers to live in the moment, yet recognise the fleeting nature of their existence. “The song ignites the heart’s desire to follow our passion and take a chance on chasing dreams,” adds Zakka.

The album also contains previous single ‘Williamsburg,’ “The idea behind the lyrics and feel of the tune was an ode to my son and a call to action to be a ‘better man than me,’ explains Zakka. My past is riddled with questionable decisions and there was a time where I was not extremely proud of my behaviour. Much of that was a consequence of overindulgence in substances that were not beneficial to my growth as a person. The song is a reminder that people can make life changes and embark on a path of growth and light. It lends itself to the hope that the next generation will be wiser and more resilient and heed the advice of past mistakes by those that came first.”

Lining up behind Zakka, The Wranglers are Jackson Leverone (lead guitar/vocs), Marcos de la Cruz (drums/vocs), Henry Clift (bass/vocs), and James Hamilton (guitar/vocs), with the album recorded and mixed de la Cruz at Firefly Music Studio, Orange County, California.

Ted Z and The Wranglers, LIVE:

May 24: Strawberry Festival Garden Amp, Garden Grove, CA 

June 6-8: Circus Mexicus Festival Puerto Penasco, MX 

June 15: Biergarten, Huntington Beach, CA 

August 2-3: Bluesapalooza Blues Festival, Mammoth, CA 

September 18: Pappy & Harriet’s with Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Pioneer Town, CA  

September 19: Saint Rock with Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers, Hermosa Beach, CA  

September 20: Belly Up with Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers, Solana Beach, CA 

October 12: Silverado Country Fair and Folk Festival, Silverado, CA 

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