John Mayer has picked out a favorite and very current guitarist of mine for praise. “The guy is phenomenal. His bending? He’s curving the bullet.” That’s a fabulous endorsement by Mayer, made in an interview with Guitar World about the excellent Chris Buck of Cardinal Black.
Mayer has his critics, but is a fine guitar player himself. Not to mention a seven-time Grammy Award winner with nineteen nominations. That’s decent credentials and feels like you have to pay attention to him.
Slash has previously rated Buck; he referred to him as a "f****** awesome guitar player." With Mayer joining in now, the guitarist is building a nice list of top fans. Buck certainly deserves all the praise. Mayer’s comments come at a great time too. Buck and Cardinal Black have just stepped on the promotional pedal with a couple of big announcements this month.
John Mayer has high praise for Cardinal Black's Chris Buck
The band’s third album, Second Sign of Life, will be released on Tiger Records early next year, January 29, to be precise. The new album was recorded in Hamburg in nine days. They grabbed that time between European tour dates supporting Alter Bridge.
There is an interesting twist that adds to my anticipation for the album. This one is self-produced with a more stripped-back approach than their second, the highly rated Midnight At The Valencia. That had plenty of layers of sound and added instrumentation, including an Alistair Campbell Bagpipe section.
Now with less time, but still plenty of know-how, they have stuck to their instincts and stayed closer to their phenomenal live style. Using only their live band lineup, and with support from touring bass player Sam Andrews’ recording engineer experience, they have got a 10-song release to share with us next year. It’s one to look out for, for sure.
As a taster, we have this new single from the album, “Saving Grace.” Check it out in the video below. There’s a cracking opening riff that powers on throughout the song. Tom Hollister delivers as always with powerful vocals.
And then there are more trademark sounds from Buck and his guitar, with short but emphatic solos. It’s classic Cardinal Black, and if it’s a sign of what’s to come on the new album, then I’m well up for that.
Then there’s a new UK and Ireland tour announced for 2027. The band reckons it’s their biggest yet. They’ll be following it up soon after with more European dates. The new album is something to look forward to, but they are at their best on stage live. If you get the chance to see them, snap it up; you won’t regret it.
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