Friends have been telling me about the Big Wolf Band for some time now, enjoying teasing me for not having seen or heard them, since I’ve a habit of reeling out endless encyclopaedic titbits on too many a musical act, and sarcastically being dubbed “The Oracle”. Well, my revenge is overdue…
Celebrating ten years together and nominated for this year’s UK Blues Band of the Year award, the Big Wolf Band has released Rebel’s Journey, their third long-playing album, and apparently the second instalment in a planned trilogy of such. It’s been described as their “biggest and boldest release to date” and they’ve got a heavy touring schedule across the UK and foreign shores to ensure as many punters out there get to hear it.
Featuring vocalist/guitarist, Jonathan Earp, rhythm guitarist/backing vocalist Johnson, bass player Mick Jeynes, drummer Tim Jones and Robin Fox on piano and Hammond organ, those aware of the band will also attest to the return of producer Mark Stuart and studio engineer Sheena Sear of M2 Studios in their respective roles. Added to that, there are some guest vocalists involved too, as Earp revealed: “Big shout out to Zoe Green for adding some amazing backing vocals. We even managed a first in the studio’s history by getting Sheena to add some gang vocals along with my wife on ‘Rise Together’.
As for the album’s title, that’s also summed up by Earp: “Rebel’s Journey highlights my own personal battle with my mental and physical health. I have a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (HEDS) which affects everything. I had surgery in mid-2019 during our Be Free tour to repair damage to my right shoulder, dislocations, and nerve pain. Unfortunately, the operation caused more pain and numbness and for nearly two years I struggled to play; some days to even hold a plectrum.”
Thus, we can expect this to be expressed lyrically across the 13 tracks featured. However, according to Earp: “The album isn’t all doom and gloom, despite being in the blues genre,” but, for those among us not part of the Big Wolf Band cognoscenti, let’s find out for ourselves.
Opening track ‘Empire And A Prayer’ was the first single issued prior to the album’s release. Those who’ve been enjoying California’s Robert Jon & The Wreck’s rise in recent years will want to take this number on board as it treads the same southern rock milieu. Possibly one of the hardier rocking tracks on Rebels Journey. Co-written by Earp and Johnson, the song is about escapism, getting away from it all and in this case, “taking a drive in your favourite car to forget your daily worries”. A good album opener, and hitting that wellbeing factor in a subtle manner from the get-go, initially what’ll draw you in though is the hard-tinkling piano work, followed by the smooth-mannered vocal treatment.
Its title may have you believe there’s more of the same with ‘Valley Of the Fallen Kings’ but lyrical analogies aside, the music here takes a different spin. Regal and evocative, misleading you at first into believing we might be heading into that medieval rock stance favoured by Richie Blackmore. While there’s an essence of troubadour folk about it, truly it’s blues-based; the sustained guitar work recalling the late Paul Kossoff and the latter section bass applying a touch of Andy Fraser’s sense of melody, so you know where it’s heart secretly lies, and that’s reinforced by what appears a piano fadeout, save it suddenly springs back into life with a guitar solo. Green’s backing vocals work especially well on this number, that may have taken the band outside their comfort zone, but I like it.
Those preferring safer ground may prefer the all-swinging and dancing blues of ‘Lay It On The Line’ that comes straight out the B.B. King schoolbook, the hardy walking blues of ‘Got Me Reeling’, or the six minute long dirty, chugging ‘Black Dog Blues’ – where the latter section’s guitar and organ interchange reinforces my suspicion these blues mongers are closet Deep Purple fans. Now, if you like your blues orchestral and epic then ‘Standing In The Rain’ is the one you’ll be latching onto – An emotionally driven well-arranged ballad with warm close harmonies to stave the cold coming in from the wind howling guitar work heard throughout before it turns unexpectedly into a full-scale storm-driven hurricane near the end.
‘Rise Together’ takes us all the way back to the southern states but with a little country picked out with some delightfully fulsome vocals from all concerned. It’s a relatively slow number but give it a few listens then look down at your feet and you just might find them tapping, if not don’t be afraid; let them. “‘Rise Together’ is one of the songs on the album I am proud of and is all about the power of love, rising together and that anything is possible,” Earp said, and I consider him justified in his conviction.
With a title like ‘Six Strings Loaded’ you know exactly where this one’s coming from – We’re deep in Bad Company cowboy rustling territory but Earp’s voice and his conversational narrative alongside some stirring guitar work avoid it being derivative.
Another single, and another rock-tipped blues groover is ‘Living On Borrowed Time’. This is possibly their most mainstream upbeat number, despite the fact that Earp revealed: “This song is about battling depression and how sometimes you feel like you are living on borrowed time, continuing, “I have felt in the past that I am looking over my shoulder, what happens if the next episode is the last and the black dog finally gets me. This really does tell that battle I have with those negative thoughts.” Been there, bought the t-shirt and gone to use it as a rag, fortunately a good song, like this, helps. You’ll also want to check out the clocks ticking video for this single where the swirling timepieces match the organ’s swoon, and the speeding hands do the same for the sustained guitar time on this rocking blues number, where the wellbeing message isn’t buried once you start listening but neither does it get in the way of a good tune.
‘Crazy Love’ jiggles and jives, an infectious funky blues groover, Earp applying a deeper tone to his voice, with a slight emotive roar in there too, while Zoe Green’s soulful chorus support adds further character. Countering that is the moody slow blues relationship break-up of ‘Darker Side Of You’ then it’s back to foot-tapping with ‘Just A Little Bit’ that owes a little bit to The James Gang’s ‘Funk #49’ albeit actually having more funk and some added soul, the whole affair grinding ever tighter without suffering any premature climax. The album then bids goodbye with ‘Too Many Times’ that comes on weary and disgruntled in its sadly too pertinent vocal delivery concerning those ignoramus acts of war we seem incapable of putting aside. That it achieves this musically with a slight skip in its step underscoring we optimistically, or naively, still hold onto hope, the fire-powered guitar solo brandished like a torch lighting the way towards that dream.
Rebel’s Journey takes a few playbacks to appreciate the breadth of what’s on offer. There are thoughtful songs delivered without proselytising, but just as many that offer a simpler straight ahead narrative. While you’ll find some impressive guitar work too, this album – and by extension the band – appear to be about striking a mood and making a song work in and of itself. Smooth, not over slick, and not everything might shake your tree, but if you like the aforementioned Robert Jon & The Wreck but want more blues for your buck, can imagine the sweet-pot between 70s act Stretch and today’s blues rock award winners King King, this is worth checking out, and they’re likely to be playing live in your town before too long. I’m due to, possibly alongside some of those friends of mine who’ve taken the mickey out of me for not having heard the Big Wolf Band before.
- Review by Paul H Birch.
- Rebel’s Journey is available now (from here).
- Official Website | Facebook | X (Twitter) | YouTube Channel
Track List:
- Empire And A Prayer
- Valley Of the Fallen Kings
- Lay It On The Line
- Rise Together
- Six Strings Loaded
- Black Dog Blues
- Standing In The Rain
- Living On Borrowed Time
- Got Me Reeling
- Crazy Love
- Darker Side Of You
- Just A Little Bit
- Too Many Times
