Review by Ritchie Birnie for MPM
This boy with his roots in Wales is not happy just to be that talented to play guitar, bass and sing he has decided he wants to give the blues a good old kick up the ass and The Wolves are Coming certainly does that.
The album opens with a fuzzy guitar that must have felt how the mans head was the morning after drinking the beverage that the song is based on. There is a lot of Jared James Nichols vibes running through “Oh! That Bitches Brew” with the furious guitar, the monstrous drumming and a song that might as well be a trip.
Second track “Lady Love Devine” gets down to funky town. We pass Living Colour on the journey and we swagger and sway those hips to the uptown beat. This is a showstopper.
On “Babylon is Burning” you can tell the former child protege was brought up with the sound of the blues but you can feel he was not happy to sit inside those parameters and this song takes all the elements and basically rocks the hell out of them. It is a long way from old slow hand as the solo is more Van Halen and the track is an upbeat, fuzzy fucker of a track.
On “Your Love” things are slowed down and the inner Hendrix comes out. Slow, sultry and dirty. The track has more musical testosterone than an 80s action movie. It goes without stating that Philip can play some smoking guitar but when you sit back and listen it can do nothing but blow you away. This is a frantic, ferocious piece of work.
With a title like “It’s Over Now” you can guess we slip straight into pure blues mode. The guitar is cleared up, the vocals stunning and the lyrics as sad as only blues can portray. This is a wonderful, powerful and almost angelic number where Sayce is at the head of the choir.
Photo – Matt Barnes
The drums on “Black Moon” tread scarily close to a certain dodgy geezers song Rock’n’Roll but thankfully we veer off that road quickly and slip into fourth gear on an open highway. The windows are open and this is cranking out at top volume. This one will be rattling round your head for days from just one listen. Give it more and you will have found your new favourite tune.
I am not sure the title “Blackbirds Fly Alone” is factually correct but this song starts like an individual journey as the man tinkers on his acoustic before soaring to the skies with the whole band in tow. This is a 70s throwback with its mid tempo and floating melodies. The solo again harks back to yesteryear but this is definitely right here and now.
“The Moon is Full” has a real Jam feel. It sounds less written than concocted on studio time and Whisky. Lenny Kravitz must have been in the room giving pointers and everyone seems to be doing their own thing whilst hanging together on a groove that just won’t stop kicking.
Track “Backstabber” is aimed at the music business and here there are no hidden messages. The lyrics are clear and the heaviness conveys the intensity of the feelings. The vocals are spat out and the guitar work is spiteful. We get the message and what an incredible song has come out of it.
Photo – Matt Barnes
Now that the anger is out of the way it is off to a hazy old blues club in Mississippi for the instrumental that is “Intuition”. This is as good as it gets. With no vocal distraction the man lets loose after setting the scene and you can imagine Whisky after Whisky being downed at the bar and a few tears dripping down faces as the emotion is wrung out of you.
“This is Hip” does what it says on the tin. This could be one of those Dave Lee Roth parody numbers that have a dig but are so damned good you cannot help but love it. It is fun time Rock’n’Roll. It also has some incredible guitar work.
Philip Sayce is not only making a name for himself he is throwing shivers up the Blues giants backs with his unfiltered talent. You just know that this man will never settle, he is not going to get into a groove and stay there.
There could be no better title for “The Wolves are Coming” but maybe it is a lone wolf, one that could care less for your awards, your titles, your accolades as this wolf is an alpha and he is hunting.
Follow Philip Sayce:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Npr4…
Instagram: / philipsayce
Facebook: / philipsaycemusic
Website: https://www.philipsayce.com/
