Album Review: Stu Hamm, Hold Fast

Hold Fast, with Stu Hamm on bass and guest bass appearances by Bubby Lewis on two tracks!

Stu Hamm never fails to amaze me every time I get the opportunity to hear one of his new albums. Hold Fast is another superb hit and it is unique when compared to any of Stu’s other works. This is an album that will blow away the bass players in the audience but will also capture the hearts of the general public.

The inspiration for Hold Fast comes from a dark time in our collective history and carries a message of hope and perseverance.

Stu recruited an amazing group of musicians to record this album at Sweetwater Studios. In addition to this stellar lineup, Bubby Lewis came in and laid down some bass on two tracks.

Hold Fast features eight tracks, seven of them are Stu’s original compositions, and the eighth is a very recognizable Queen tune by Brian May that will surprise you.

The bass work on this album is truly excellent! The bass is recorded and mixed (by Javier Reyes) in a way that reaches right out and envelopes you in a blanket of rich, deep, tonal bliss. In addition, this bass work allows the best that the other musicians have to offer to shine through and it blends seamlessly on each take.

As I have come to expect from Stu, every track is different and unique and has a story to tell. If you read the backstory, you understand that this is how a consummate bassist like Stu shares his thoughts and feelings.

I will add that a lot of effort went into the design packaging and it is so nicely done that this album is a must-have for any collection.

I thoroughly enjoyed every track on Hold Fast and encourage you to give this one a listen as I suspect it will be a new favorite album for all of us.

Available on numerous platforms but best to start at stuhamm.com.