Chez Kane has released a new single called “Strip Me Down,” taken from her latest album Reckless. Subtlety, apparently, remains somewhere near the bottom of the priority list.
The British melodic rocker has paired the track with a new official video through Frontiers Music Srl, extending the life of Reckless following its release in March. The new release also comes with “Hot Wired Heart,” a previously unreleased B-side now available across streaming platforms.
Kane describes “Strip Me Down” as another piece of the Reckless story, calling the track “sexy, playful and a little bit naughty.”
With a title like “Strip Me Down,” nobody was expecting a detailed discussion of municipal zoning regulations.
The single continues the sound Kane has developed across three solo albums: enormous choruses, polished guitars and enough ’80s melodic-rock DNA to make hairspray seem like a reasonable studio expense.
Reckless was once again written and produced by Danny Rexon, frontman for Swedish hard rockers Crazy Lixx. The partnership has been central to Kane’s solo career, combining the hooks and larger-than-life attitude of melodic rock’s commercial peak with contemporary production rather than simply attempting to recreate an old record.
That’s an important distinction.
There’s no shortage of bands willing to revisit the sound of the 1980s. Kane’s records work from the premise that melodic rock never actually required permission to leave.
Across Reckless, that means moving between glam-heavy rockers, slower material and arena-sized choruses, with Kane’s voice remaining the obvious centerpiece. “Strip Me Down” leans toward the playful end of that equation and gives the album another moment in the spotlight just when fans might have assumed its release cycle was winding down.
Apparently Reckless wasn’t finished being reckless.
And with “Hot Wired Heart” arriving alongside the single, Kane has managed to pull another song out of the vault while she’s at it.
Sometimes the B-side deserves to come to the party too.
“Strip Me Down” and “Hot Wired Heart” are available now through Frontiers Music Srl.
Information provided by Chez Kane’s publicity team.