image courtesy of LadyLake Entertainment

Single Review of David Martinez: “Fast and Hard”

David Martinez is classic, radio-friendly guitar rocker in the vein of Rick Springfield, Bryan Adams, and/or Bruce Springsteen – a hard-rockin’ axeslinger with pop sensibility and the potential for broad appeal. The award-winning South Texan musician already has the accolades; now he delivers what would be a big-time, hooky hit single if it caught the attention of the right eyes and ears. It’s a song that has hints of .38 Special in the guitarwork and shades of Rick Springfield and even a bit of Jackson Browne in the delivery. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Martinez’s “Fast and Hard” comes out of the gates strong and energetic, drums and hand-claps leading to a quick-hit guitar riff, with vocals quickly following. It’s an ideal attention-grabbing opening, followed by a quick run through the opening verse that leads to the big payoff, the hooky first chorus. From there, the song continues to build. This lively, fun song about falling in love employs well-placed sax work – absolute catnip to the ears of a mid-tempo rock fan, when done right – including a soulfully rockin’ sax solo during its mid-song bridge. Some key lyrical ’80s rock callouts (the lyric “we were dancing in the dark, we were blinded by the light” and an actual reference to Springsteen) ensure throwback rockers will get that adrenaline boost from the sense of nostalgia. And at its conclusion, the song ends hot, with guitar, drums and sax going full-tilt right up ’til the last second, leaving fans wanting more.

“Fast and Hard” is the textbook hit single from the glory days of mid-tempo rock on the radio, but it’s not as easy to pull off as the phrase “textbook” might suggest. David Martinez nails it. I thoroughly enjoy this song, and if you like guitar-driven rock ‘n roll, you will, too!

I’ve long dug Martinez’s music, ever since catching his performance at a LadyLake Music showcase a few years ago, but this is perhaps his best single to date, at least in relation to its broad audience appeal and hit potential. I expect this to be a fan favorite for years to come – that song a big-stage artist would save for his encore, knowing it’ll draw screams of joy from his fans when they hear the first notes.

Looking Ahead

David Martinez just shared his November performance schedule here on Facebook (and also here on Instagram). He’s slated to perform tonight at the John Wesley Saloon in Corpus Christi, TX.  Indeed, the best way to keep up with David’s live performance would be by following his social media accounts, particularly Instagram and/or Facebook.