Acclaimed US musician Vanderwolf has today released his sophomore album ‘The Great Bewilderment’ across all digital platforms, with vinyl and CD formats to follow on April 2nd.
The follow-up to Vanderwolf’s 2022 debut ’12 Little Killers’ (“Soul, gospel, theatrical rock and more” **** Mojo), ‘The Great Bewilderment’ is a major rock record full of big emotions and adventurous songs.
Whereas ‘12 Little Killers’ was written and recorded during Vanderwolf’s final years in London following the break-up of his semi-legendary band Last Man Standing, ‘The Great Bewilderment’ was mostly written during the pandemic, during which he relocated from New York to Los Angeles.
“The Great Bewilderment is a complexly layered reflection of my recent years courting chaos and rootlessness, arriving, leaving, settling and unsettling,” says Max Vanderwolf. “It’s a collection of interweaving hellos and goodbyes. It’s about coming to terms with a sense of place after a long period of exile and some self-imposed restlessness. Finally, it is about what can be known and what can be appreciated as truly valuable in this world, despite the bewildering context of war and mass extinction.”
For the recording, Vanderwolf reached out to an old friend, drummer Angie Scarpa, while a recommendation from John Cale’s guitarist, Dusty Meadows, led to bassist H Chris Roy joining the band. Tim Sonnefeld contributes a variety of guitars, including beautiful crying feedback throughout album centrepiece “Gaza”, which also features a guitar solo from Portishead’s Adrian Utley.
The album title itself is drawn from the mood of writing music during the pandemic. “I think we’re still in that great bewilderment,” insists Vanderwolf. “With threats to democracy, the division of opinion, plus this latest war on top of the war in Ukraine, and the climate crisis becoming acute, there’s a looming sense that there’s nothing we can do. 14 years of Tory corruption in an alleged democracy… that is bewildering. That a twice impeached President with 91 indictments against him can be the frontrunner in a presidential election… that is bewildering.”
As a music programmer and concert producer, Max Vanderwolf has worked for some of the worlds’ most celebrated clubs and concert venues. These include New York’s legendary Knitting Factory and London’s internationally renowned Royal Festival Hall, where for 9 years he produced the Meltdown Festival working closely with artists including David Bowie, Patti Smith, Jarvis Cocker, Massive Attack and Ornette Coleman.
This month will see the nationwide theatrical release of ‘5lbs Of Pressure’, a crime drama set in New York City which features four Vanderwolf songs from ‘12 Little Killers’ including ‘’I am Not a Mountain’’, which will accompany the film’s closing credits. The film, written and directed by Phil Allocco, along with Luke Evans, stars Alex Pettyfer, Rory Caulkin, Stephanie Leonidas and Rudy Pankow.
Vanderwolf’s music can be found on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms or the official website www.vanderwolfmusic.com
Vanderwolf ‘The Great Bewilderment’ – album tracklisting;
- A’Coming Home
- The 6.09
- Sweep Away the Shards
- Gaza
- Love Stay Strong
- The Book Of Dread
- The Here & Now
- Gratitude Suite
‘The Great Bewilderment’ is out now via digital platforms (via Another Record Label) with LP & CD physical formats to follow on 2 April 2024.
