“ “Justice Road” is a collection of eleven original songs that combines southern rock, the blues, and hard rock, with explosive guitar solos to tell the auto biographical story of singer/guitarist Mike Westcott. “Shoot Me” is a blues influenced tune that takes on the vibe of a Stevie Ray Vaughan classic. Tommy Lepson provides thick organ pads, as drummer Jean-Paul Gaster lays down a syncopated groove. On this track, Westcott’s voice sounds like a mixture between Stevie Ray Vaughan and Dr. John. Westcott slows things down a bit in “Heaven Called,” as he presents a song in tribute to the passing of his mother. You can hear the pain in his guitar, as he takes a powerful solo that builds into a full band break down that lands on the repeated lyric “Heaven called another angel home.” “Back Again” shies away from the standard classic rock progression and arrangement. The two main sections alternate between a heavy distortion guitar groove and a broken down spoken lyric. The solo section throws a curve ball, by switching into a 6/8 feel where Westcott pulls out all of the stops, and performs one of the best guitar solos on the album. “The Hammer” is a hard driving rock tune that starts off with a distortion picked guitar intro. Bassist Jay Turner, pushes the song and lays down a strong foundation to groove over. This track features several full band lines that are used to build the song into a cry-baby guitar solo. “Sittin On the Porch” takes on the role of an interlude, and features Westcott playing acoustic guitar filled with harmonics, advanced strumming patterns, and flourish lines. The CD closes out with the funk tune “Grunt,” that has the feel of a jam session classic. This tune is filled with twists and turns that go from a rock influenced 70s wah-wah funk jam to an odd metered outro that switches back and forth between 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures. With a classic rock feel that sounds familiar, and plenty of twists and turns to keep things fresh, Mike Westcott’s “Justice Road” is an album that any southern rock, blues rock, or hard rock lover would be proud to have in their collection. Review By Scott Paddock Featured Musicians: Mike Westcott (guitar/vocals), Jay A. Turner (bass), Jean-Paul Gaster (drums), Tommy Lepson (organ) ” - Scott Paddock
“ If you have not had a chance to catch guitar slinger Mike Westcott live, this disc will serve as a perfect introduction. The CD has a very live, airy feel to it and features some stunning musicianship. Mike is primarily known as blues guitarist, and there are definitely many moments that this influence shines through, but overall, Justice Road has more of a southern rock feel, very reminiscent of Government Mule. If you are craving some tasty blues chops, the lead section in "Heaven Called" will more than satisfy. The title track is another knockout punch, with a great guitar hook in the main riff that opens up to an anthem-like, sing-along chorus. "Wanna Do" has a killer deep-pocket groove and some very tasty guitar work, and it leads into the very funky "Grunt," which nicely closes out the disc. If you are a fan of guitar-driven, bluesy southern rock tunes, you should definitely log some time with this disc and check out a live show. You won't be disappointed. You can pick up a copy at indiemerch.com, on iTunes, or at CD Baby Reviewed by Rob Queen” - Rob Queen