The Hard Way

'The Hard Way' was produced by Liam Watson (The White Stripes) at famed analogue haven Toe Rag Studios in London.

The instrumental palette is rich and the arrangements sharpened for 'The Hard Way.' Allen Toussaint joins Hunter on the sultry "Til The End," the rhumba "Believe Me Baby," and the title track. The gorgeous Echo Strings buoy "The Hard Way" and the romantic "Carina," with accompanying pedal steel. The jumping "Don't Do Me No Favors" is designed for the dance floor.

The album resolves with the romantic ballad "Strange But True," the first Hunter recording stripped down to just vocals and guitar. The album also showcases further evidence of Hunter's guitar prowess, his manic solos recalling the fretwork of Ike Turner.

Hunter has extensively road tested the new album, crisscrossing North America and Europe since his 2006, GRAMMY nominated album 'People Gonna Talk' put him on the map. That album took him from being "one of the best voices, and best kept secrets, in British R'n'B and Soul," as Van Morrison put it, to a major breakout success of 2006. He opened for Etta James, Boz Scaggs, Los Lonely Boys, and Aretha Franklin; reached #1 on Billboard's Blues chart; and made several national television appearances. 'People Gonna Talk; earned him critical acclaim as well, with Rolling Stone calling it "a treat not to miss" and USA Today raving about his "sublime soul."

Album Description
Eagerly awaited 2008 album from the British retro-Soul singing sensation, the follow-up to his Grammy-nominated People Gonna Talk album from 2006. The Hard Way is Hunter's giant step toward staking his place in the Pop-Soul pantheon alongside Same Cook, Jackie Wilson, Charlie Rich and Van Morrison. Three of the album's cuts feature special guest Allen Toussaint on piano. 12 tracks.