Reviewed by Taf Rock for MPM
Birmingham based blues rock combo Big Wolf Band are celebrating their first decade together. It’s turning into quite a year for the band too as the pack of followers swells in numbers fuelled by their most extensive tour across the UK which even migrated across to Europe for the first time, plentiful radio airplay has help them garner recognition leading to a second consecutive nomination for the UK Blues Band of the Year.
But most of all this recognition has been down to the hard work and graft of the band. A band led by singer/guitarist Jonathan Earp ably assisted by his packmates Mick Jeynes (bass), Tim Jones (drums), Justin Johnson (backing vocals/rhythm guitar) and Robin Fox (keyboards).
Last year’s stunning 14 track Live & Howlin’ is in this reviewer’s opinion one of the best live albums recorded in recent times. Containing tracks from the two studio albums 2017’s A Rebel’s Story and 2019’s Be Free it neatly brought chapter one in the band’s history to a close.
Chapter two of the journey started in earnest with the release of the band’s brand new studio album Rebel’s Journey on April 19th. An album recorded at M2 Studios and produced by Jonathan and Mark Stuart. The bulk of the songs are Jonathan Earp creations but for the first time rhythm guitarist Justin Johnson took a part in writing the lyrics for three of the songs. A warm welcome back is also extended to Zoe Green, the Midlands songstress who makes a reappearance on a Big Wolf album (Zoe sang lead vocals on 2019’s Be Free) following a brief hiatus from the music industry. Zoe provides backing vocals throughout Rebel’s Journey.
‘Head in overload… strap in tight… turn the key’. Our journey commences with one of the aforementioned Justin Johnson co-writes Empire And A Prayer. A somewhat rockier edge to this track in contrast to the band’s usual blues based sound. Rockier it may be but it’s still unmistakably Big Wolf Band. One of the defining parts of the band’s sound is the ever present Robin Fox keys and sure enough they are here in abundance. The rhythm section of Mick Jeynes and Tim Jones bolt out of the stalls setting a suitably fast driving pace to our opener which tells the tale of a journey in a fast car designed to ‘free the mind’ and ‘answer your prayer’. Lively, fast paced and full of energy. ‘Pedal to the metal… Just watch me go’ – Jonathan belts out a tasty lead break. An ideal opening track as we head off on a 62 minute 13 track journey which encompasses a variety of musical styles.
Jonathan’s atmospheric guitar, enchanting Fox keys and Jones’ rousing drumbeat set the scene as an alternative take on the happenings at the legendary blues crossroads develops. We venture into the Valley of the Fallen Kings for a meeting with the demon. The mysticism is enhanced as the guitar changes to an acoustic style similar in nature to Richie Sambora on Bon Jovi’s Wanted Dead or Alive. Lucifer steps forward and demands ‘ten years of service to the keeper of the blues’. Service that has long since been completed by Big Wolf who have been ferrying souls to the crossroads with their brand of blues rock for a decade now. Having ‘paid all their dues’, and fulfilled their obligations, the band have earned their freedom, are relinquished of their duties and can ‘say goodbye to the valley’, as they drive away from the valley and ‘join the rat race’. A complex multi layered guitar driven story featuring many variations in style.
The blues are very much in evidence on Lay It On The Line. Jonathan excels here on both guitar and vocals aided and abetted by delightful Zoe Green backing vocals complete with repeated ‘whoops’. Fox takes the lead at the tracks midpoint with an exemplary display on keys overlaying funky bass from Mick Jeynes.
Robin Fox introduces Rise Together, his keys setting the path to a story of teamwork. Demonstrating how love and togetherness are a force to be reckoned with. As a unit working and developing together in a relationship great things are possible as evidenced by the rise of the Big Wolf Band themselves. The vocals on this song are amazing – Zoe and Jonathan (aided by additional gang vocals courtesy of Tracey Earp and Sheena Sear) working together in powerful and emotionally charged harmony – ‘If we stand together, the future’s ours to hold’. As the vocals give way the band continue to work together, the drums, bass and rhythm guitar carrying Jonathan’s lead break aloft. A perfect example of a band working together, their individual talents combining to create one big anthemic song which has great commercial appeal.
With a title like Six Strings Loaded it’s no surprise that our next tune features several intense Jonathan Earp lead breaks. The devil has left the valley of the fallen kings behind and Jonathan finds him down at the river. He makes a deal with Lucifer in order to ‘get my soul back this time’. A melting pot of blues and classic old school rock the song is a vehicle for Mick Jeynes to exhibit his deftness on the bass guitar. Zoe Green also demonstrates her vocal dexterity with gospel style backing vocals.
If there is such a thing as a classic Big Wolf Band sound then Black Dog Blues definitely ticks that particular box. This band are masters of versatility, however Jonathan’s guitar combined with Robin’s keys have been the definitive features of the Big Wolf Band sound throughout their decade of existence. Opening with a superb blues break from Jonathan backed up by Robin’s keys atop a creeping rhythm section which reminds me of Francis Buchholz/Herman Rarebell on the 1980’s classic Scorpions track The Zoo. The rhythm style reflects how depression and Ill feeling can just creep up on you and ‘bring you to the ground every time’. Fox’s uplifting Hammond organ display is full of energy and does its best to counter the ill feeling as Zoe joins Jonathan in urging anyone in earshot to ‘take these blues away’ before ‘it drags me to the ground’. An excellent extended Earp lead break which culminates in a clever Fox/Earp keys/guitar call and answer segment should be more than enough to chase away any depressive thoughts from the listening audiences mind.
Sit down put your feet up and prepare to have your breath taken away by the Big Wolf symphony orchestra. Standing in the Rain is a masterpiece. The highlight of this whole album. 7 minutes and 24 seconds of sheer blues excellence. And yet it nearly did not make the cut. Jonathan wanted to ditch it but thankfully the other members of the pack made him see sense and here in all its glory is a song near to Jonathan’s heart. Often battling mental health and depression issues the song describes how despite knowing and feeling you are loved you somehow feel distant and separated from reality. The guitar here is reminiscent of the great Gary Moore. It’s safe to say this track is more than good enough to happily rub shoulders and stand up tall next to the Belfast legends greatest songs. A sorrowful almost mourning guitar introduces the track and it’s evident from the off we have something special on our hands here. Justin’s rhythm guitar, Jones drum fills and Jeynes bass providing a solid foundation whilst Jonathan’s guitar soars and climbs above the deep depression detailed in the lyrics. Fox keys gently bring us down to earth as he accompanies Jonathan’s pleas for help. ‘Do you hear me crying … at your door … won’t you open it up … let me in’. Even his glorious vocal has a shade of Gary Moore about it on this particular track. Zoe Green’s backing vocals the icing on this delicious cake. The track ebbs and flows as the guitar once again soars above us and drenches us in blues which permeates every fibre of our body just like the ‘pouring rain’ of depression can envelope and consume the unwary individual. This isn’t just a song, it’s a composition – written to be led by Jonathan’s emotionally charged guitar which leads and conducts the rest of the band in an orchestral manner, at times I can almost sense a string section playing alongside the pack. A masterpiece of music and songwriting with beautifully crafted lyrics. ‘In these stormy seas I’m sailing all alone’ Jonathan really gets the emotions across to the listener before the Big Wolf symphony orchestra takes your breath away with a quite stunning and beautiful instrumental section. Emotional and moving – music doesn’t get much better than this.
The upbeat and rocky Living On Borrowed Time is the second single to be taken from this album. Continuing with the subject of depression this song is another co-written with Justin Johnson. The head will be nodding and the feet tapping as Mick Jeynes and Tim Jones lay down a powerful driving rhythm. Jonathan fires off a flurry of blues licks before the opening lyric ‘In the darkness I saw a light… My heart is empty I can’t take no more’. Zoe Green ‘stops dark thoughts intruding’ with her joyous backing vocals whilst the dependable Robin Fox provides exhilarating keyboards throughout the track in particular during an extended solo break at the song’s midpoint. Not to be outshone Jonathan lays dark thoughts to waste with a superlative solo.
The final Justin Johnson co-write Got Me Reeling is an upbeat blues/rock concoction based around a stop start rhythm from Jeynes and Jones. ‘I gave you everything you wanted me to… why you looking so blue?’. Jonathan’s lengthy solo builds to emerge from the groove aided and abetted by Robin on sparkling keys.
Originally written over 10 years ago our next track was ‘lost and found’. The time felt right for the energy of Crazy Love to be rediscovered and unleashed on a Big Wolf album. Funky keys and a contagious beat ensure you find yourself singing and dancing along to this fast paced, fun and memorable track until you’re ‘so damn hot, you’ll have a temperature too’.
A relationship falls apart revealing the Darker Side of You. No matter how you try to keep the partnership together there’s no escaping the realisation that you’re ‘holding on to a love that’s gone’. Suitably drenched in blues reflecting the subject matter, Zoe’s soul-filled vocals match the mood perfectly. Despite the sorrowful nature of the song the sheer beauty of Robin’s keyboards combined with Jonathan’s uplifting guitar help you ‘take your time to realise our better days are gone for good’. Sometimes giving everything isn’t good enough for some people so you have to move on and emerge from the pain and darkness before they ‘take it all from you’.
We ‘hold on to what you’ve got’ as Just A Little Bit sees us ‘believe’ and discover new love with that one special person we all need. Full of funky groovy blues there’s real pace to this joyous number. Mick Jeynes dirty bass line, Zoe’s backing vocals, outstanding Fox keys and Jonathan’s guitar encourage us to ‘be strong when you don’t feel that good’.
Our album leaves us deep in thought with the powerful moody message of Too Many Times. ‘Too many times we go to war’ reflects Jonathan. ‘To have some dictator fall’. ‘Too many people lose their lives … Another hero on the wall’. Thought provoking. Just what have we learned if anything over the years? ‘What the hell are we fighting for?’. The urgency of the message reflected as the song momentarily gathers pace with an energy charged section before Robin’s keys bring us down to earth once again as Jonathan pleads ‘put your guns on the floor… we don’t need another war’.
Thoughtful, energetic, funky, rocky, bluesy – just five of the many words that can be used to describe this album. An album that is sure to see the pack of followers grow in numbers. Rebel’s Journey is an album that is sure to see Big Wolf Band reap the rewards they deserve after a decade of hard work plying their trade.
BIG WOLF BAND
