Big Wolf Band – Rebel’s Journey
The title of Big Wolf Band’s third studio album reflects the personal journey of singer/ guitarist/ songwriter Jonathan Earp, who has openly spoken of his battles with mental and physical health problems.
The latter, which no doubt played a part on the former, was a connective tissue disorder affecting pretty much everything. Surgery in mid-2019 helped repair damage but there followed two further years of pain and struggling to play.
Add in the departure of keyboardist Paul Brambani due to his own health problems in 2021 and you have a band who needed to take stock and reload.
And that they did, in fine fashion.
Following 2023’s Live & Howlin' album the band – Jonathan Earp, Mick Jeynes (bass), Tim Jones (drums) and new recruits Justin Johnson (guitars, vocals) and Robin Fox (piano, Hammond) – located to M2 Studios to join forces once again with producer Mark Stuart and engineer Sheena Sear (the album carries a solid production from Earp & Stuart and a great mix from Stuart & Sear).
As an added bonus, Zoe Green (featured guest vocalist on previous studio album Be Free) brings her wonderful voice to all the songs on backing vocals.
The pacey, highway driving number 'Empire and a Prayer' (the first of three co-writes between Jonathan Earp and Justin Johnson) makes for a blues rollicking start; nor does the fact its hard driving rhythm (with piano rattling accompaniment) remind of 'Let’s Spend The Night Together' do it any Stonesy harm.
A bluesier vibe follows by way of the six-minute 'Valley of the Fallen Kings.'
A brooding, southern-tinged number with tasty solo from Jonathan Earp, the song lyrically nods to the age-old story of selling your soul at the crossroads.
The more traditional blues stylings of 'Lay it on the Line' sees Earp, Robin Fox (with his funky Hammond lines) and Zoe Green all shining in their respective roles.
The Americana-country pop blues of 'Rise Together' (Zoe Green on harmony lead with Jonathan Earp and Tracey Earp & Sheena Sear on backing vocals) then follows to provide radio friendly/ AOR contrast.
'Six Strings Loaded' is the Free meets slow 'n' swampy rock blues lyrical companion to 'Valley of the Fallen Kings;' it also carries another great solo from Jonathan Earp.
From slow 'n' swampy to slow and moody with 'Black Dog Blues,' a number that lyrically deals with darkness and depression. Simple in its musical framework but powerful in its delivery, the number features a nice call and answer segway between Hammond and guitar before hitting final verse and chorus.
'Standing in the Rain' also stands strong as the album’s fulcrum point.
Sitting dead centre of the thirteen track album, the seven-and-a-half minute ballad, built on a delicate yet powerful rise and fall with orchestrated backing toward song’s end, lyrically focusses on dealing with mental health.
Given the lyrical focus and Jonathan Earp’s aforementioned issues, it’s no surprise he pulls out his best and most impassioned solo of the entire album, but every band member more than plays their part on this song.
'Living on Borrowed Time' carries the same sort of pacey, rock sensibility of 'Empire and a Prayer' (bolstered by a lock-tight groove from Messrs Jeynes & Jones), but here with another nod to battling those demons.
As such it also acts as a companion piece to 'Black Dog Blues.'
The latter, which no doubt played a part on the former, was a connective tissue disorder affecting pretty much everything. Surgery in mid-2019 helped repair damage but there followed two further years of pain and struggling to play.
Add in the departure of keyboardist Paul Brambani due to his own health problems in 2021 and you have a band who needed to take stock and reload.
And that they did, in fine fashion.
Following 2023’s Live & Howlin' album the band – Jonathan Earp, Mick Jeynes (bass), Tim Jones (drums) and new recruits Justin Johnson (guitars, vocals) and Robin Fox (piano, Hammond) – located to M2 Studios to join forces once again with producer Mark Stuart and engineer Sheena Sear (the album carries a solid production from Earp & Stuart and a great mix from Stuart & Sear).
As an added bonus, Zoe Green (featured guest vocalist on previous studio album Be Free) brings her wonderful voice to all the songs on backing vocals.
The pacey, highway driving number 'Empire and a Prayer' (the first of three co-writes between Jonathan Earp and Justin Johnson) makes for a blues rollicking start; nor does the fact its hard driving rhythm (with piano rattling accompaniment) remind of 'Let’s Spend The Night Together' do it any Stonesy harm.
A bluesier vibe follows by way of the six-minute 'Valley of the Fallen Kings.'
A brooding, southern-tinged number with tasty solo from Jonathan Earp, the song lyrically nods to the age-old story of selling your soul at the crossroads.
The more traditional blues stylings of 'Lay it on the Line' sees Earp, Robin Fox (with his funky Hammond lines) and Zoe Green all shining in their respective roles.
The Americana-country pop blues of 'Rise Together' (Zoe Green on harmony lead with Jonathan Earp and Tracey Earp & Sheena Sear on backing vocals) then follows to provide radio friendly/ AOR contrast.
'Six Strings Loaded' is the Free meets slow 'n' swampy rock blues lyrical companion to 'Valley of the Fallen Kings;' it also carries another great solo from Jonathan Earp.
From slow 'n' swampy to slow and moody with 'Black Dog Blues,' a number that lyrically deals with darkness and depression. Simple in its musical framework but powerful in its delivery, the number features a nice call and answer segway between Hammond and guitar before hitting final verse and chorus.
'Standing in the Rain' also stands strong as the album’s fulcrum point.
Sitting dead centre of the thirteen track album, the seven-and-a-half minute ballad, built on a delicate yet powerful rise and fall with orchestrated backing toward song’s end, lyrically focusses on dealing with mental health.
Given the lyrical focus and Jonathan Earp’s aforementioned issues, it’s no surprise he pulls out his best and most impassioned solo of the entire album, but every band member more than plays their part on this song.
'Living on Borrowed Time' carries the same sort of pacey, rock sensibility of 'Empire and a Prayer' (bolstered by a lock-tight groove from Messrs Jeynes & Jones), but here with another nod to battling those demons.
As such it also acts as a companion piece to 'Black Dog Blues.'
Rhythmic groove is also to the forefront on the shuffle 'n' swing of 'Got Me Reeling,' which gets the award for bounciest, catchiest and hookiest song of the album.
'Crazy Love' then adds bluesy funk and up-tempo fun to proceedings before the beautifully framed 'Darker Side of You' slows things down to deliver a melancholic piano and Hammond backed blues about a relationship that has turned toxic.
Big Wolf funk 'n' groove returns for the upbeat 'Just a Little Bit,' a soulful little number that musically plays off a great bass line from Mick Jeynes while lyrically acting as the antidote to 'Darker Side of You' ("move on to something new… somewhere in the darkness I need a little bit of you!").
Melodic, mid-tempo closer 'Too Many Times' speaks to the troubled times we live in, while the weightier mid-section (featuring another impassioned solo from Jonathan Earp) makes the song as impacting as its on-point lyric ("too many times we go to war; what the hell we fighting for?").
Rebel’s Journey, the second part of the "Rebel’s trilogy" of albums, may have its roots in what were dark days for Jonathan Earp, but he and the album have emerged out the other side as strong and positive light at the end of a bluesy tunnel.
It’s also Big Wolf Band’s best offering to date.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
'Crazy Love' then adds bluesy funk and up-tempo fun to proceedings before the beautifully framed 'Darker Side of You' slows things down to deliver a melancholic piano and Hammond backed blues about a relationship that has turned toxic.
Big Wolf funk 'n' groove returns for the upbeat 'Just a Little Bit,' a soulful little number that musically plays off a great bass line from Mick Jeynes while lyrically acting as the antidote to 'Darker Side of You' ("move on to something new… somewhere in the darkness I need a little bit of you!").
Melodic, mid-tempo closer 'Too Many Times' speaks to the troubled times we live in, while the weightier mid-section (featuring another impassioned solo from Jonathan Earp) makes the song as impacting as its on-point lyric ("too many times we go to war; what the hell we fighting for?").
Rebel’s Journey, the second part of the "Rebel’s trilogy" of albums, may have its roots in what were dark days for Jonathan Earp, but he and the album have emerged out the other side as strong and positive light at the end of a bluesy tunnel.
It’s also Big Wolf Band’s best offering to date.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ