When guitarist Rich Ward’s long time rap/metal outfit Stuck Mojo finally disbanded, he took a left turn creatively. Where his past musical offerings had leaned heavily to the harder side of music, his new solo album - The Duke’s My Kung Fu Is Good – is experimentation in melody, piano, pop and big rocks riffs.

Ward’s signature guitar sound and songwriting abilities are put to the test with this release and they all pass with flying colors. Ward’s knack for creating powerful pop hooks will captivate then attention of even the harshest of critics. His signature riffing is present here, combined with a new sense of melody that his previous songwriting lacked, elevating this material to new highs.

My Kung Fu Is Good manages to capture the spirit of classic rock on songs like ‘Summer’ with it’s emotional delivery and rifftastic guitar work, ‘Suicide Machine’ with an over-the-top chorus that works perfectly, and the massive guitar hook of ‘Back To You’. Ward even experiments with gospel type backing vocals on ‘At This Moment’ with astonishing results that will have you singing like a member of the choir. These songs all have the same kind of staying power that bands like Supertramp, Van Halen, ZZ Top and AC/DC had.

There are a few songs that lack the same firepower, most notably ‘I Give To You’ and ‘Show You The Way’. Filler it isn’t though.

Without a doubt, this is some of Ward’s best songwriting to date. Years from now critics and fans will look back on this release as a landmark album. The music transcends the boundaries of metal, classic rock and pop to make itself accessible to fans of all music fans. Whether you’re looking for an album that will return you to the classic rock of yesterday or something you can crank up in your car, The Duke’s My Kung Fu Is Good is an amazing album.

» thedukerocks.com