DeWolff – Muscle Shoals
As the name of the latest studio album from Dutch psychedelic rock 'n' soul trio DeWolff proudly declares, the band – Pablo van de Poel (vocals/ guitars), Luka van de Poel (drums, vocals), Robin Piso (Hammond, Wurlitzer, piano) – recorded the album in the once "Soul of America," Muscle Shoals, Alabama. More specifically the legendary FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.
It's a double down studio move that has paid dividends.
Working with Grammy Award-winning producer Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes) coupled with the band’s songwriting sense of U.S. southern soul (an influence since Day One of DeWolff) and recording in such legendary spaces, has brought out the best in the band.
Opener 'In Love' is the perfect example of DeWolff’s woozier, psychedelic soul-pop stylings.
A song that could have easily have been cooked up in the late 60s/ early 70s psychedelic pot, 'In Love' is only missing an accompaniment of kaleidoscopic visuals and saffron dressed backing singers (the Official Video however does show the band having a grooving time in the studio – very much at home and, indeed, in love, with FAME Studios).
The inclusion of the line "why can't we meet, at the dark end of the street" (referencing 'The Dark End of the Street' by Muscle Shoals singer-songwriter-producer Dan Penn) is a nice touch.
The funky and groove-driven 'Natural Woman' is another that could be Alabama soul-rock (albeit here with a more contemporary sound/ arrangement), while following number 'Out On The Town' (inspired by the novel The Man with the Golden Arm by Nelson Algren), shares DNA with the Allman Brothers 'Whipping Post' (no bad thing).
'Let's Stay Together' is the album’s breakup (and makeup) song.
Part-autobiographical to the song’s author Pablo van de Poel, 'Let’s Stay Together' is a slow, soulful blues that’s as sincere a love song as it is a personal to van de Poel.
'Ophelia,' with a tribal chant intro, has DeWolff bringing their own version of the Greek oracle to soul-rock ("Deep in the night my Ophelia she flies, behold her spirit springs from the river that sings").
The band really hit their stride on this one; as such it’s a highlight of the album.
'Truce' offers itself up as the rock 'n' southern roll moment of the album, followed by funky, piano-backed work song 'Hard To Make a Buck.'
The initial boogie and slow soul-blues finale of 'Book Of Life' (featuring more judicious use of piano) wouldn’t have been out of place on a Ray Charles record sixty years back (albeit said parts are segued via a short and feisty Hammond section that reminds of The Doors). Another highlight.
'Winner (When It Comes To Losing),' built on a simple but effective soul-groove, and the funkier soul-blues of 'Fools & Horses' are back-to-back downtempo moments that set up the arrival of 'Snowbird.'
Opening with a gentle blues sway before developing a more rhythmic pattern over which Pablo van de Poel adds some tasty six-string work, 'Snowbird tells,' in allegorical/ folk tale styled lyricism, of seeking warmer climes after the cold (of a somewhat frosty or icy relationship). Yet another highlight.
Ballad 'Ships in the Night,' a harmonised plea to "slow down and take it easy" (complete with, again, some tasteful guitar remarks), maintains the downtempo vibe of the preceding tracks.
'Cicada Serenade' (a recording of the stridulated 'singing' of the insects) then closes out the album as night falls in Muscle Shoals.
DeWolff have been worth a listen or three since their self-titled debut EP of 2008 (think an even more out there version of The Doors after a few 'special' Dutch coffees).
But a decade and a half of musical progression and growing songwriting maturity have made DeWolff a far better, and rather excellent, band now – underlined by the quality of their most accomplished album to date.
One that, fittingly, brings plenty of Muscle to their highly individualistic rock 'n' soul sound.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
DeWolff - April 2025 UK Headline Tour Dates
12 April - Stereo, Glasgow
13 April - Deaf Institute, Manchester
15 April - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
16 April - The Fleece, Bristol
17 April - O2 Academy, Oxford
18 April - Garage, London
It's a double down studio move that has paid dividends.
Working with Grammy Award-winning producer Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes) coupled with the band’s songwriting sense of U.S. southern soul (an influence since Day One of DeWolff) and recording in such legendary spaces, has brought out the best in the band.
Opener 'In Love' is the perfect example of DeWolff’s woozier, psychedelic soul-pop stylings.
A song that could have easily have been cooked up in the late 60s/ early 70s psychedelic pot, 'In Love' is only missing an accompaniment of kaleidoscopic visuals and saffron dressed backing singers (the Official Video however does show the band having a grooving time in the studio – very much at home and, indeed, in love, with FAME Studios).
The inclusion of the line "why can't we meet, at the dark end of the street" (referencing 'The Dark End of the Street' by Muscle Shoals singer-songwriter-producer Dan Penn) is a nice touch.
The funky and groove-driven 'Natural Woman' is another that could be Alabama soul-rock (albeit here with a more contemporary sound/ arrangement), while following number 'Out On The Town' (inspired by the novel The Man with the Golden Arm by Nelson Algren), shares DNA with the Allman Brothers 'Whipping Post' (no bad thing).
'Let's Stay Together' is the album’s breakup (and makeup) song.
Part-autobiographical to the song’s author Pablo van de Poel, 'Let’s Stay Together' is a slow, soulful blues that’s as sincere a love song as it is a personal to van de Poel.
'Ophelia,' with a tribal chant intro, has DeWolff bringing their own version of the Greek oracle to soul-rock ("Deep in the night my Ophelia she flies, behold her spirit springs from the river that sings").
The band really hit their stride on this one; as such it’s a highlight of the album.
'Truce' offers itself up as the rock 'n' southern roll moment of the album, followed by funky, piano-backed work song 'Hard To Make a Buck.'
The initial boogie and slow soul-blues finale of 'Book Of Life' (featuring more judicious use of piano) wouldn’t have been out of place on a Ray Charles record sixty years back (albeit said parts are segued via a short and feisty Hammond section that reminds of The Doors). Another highlight.
'Winner (When It Comes To Losing),' built on a simple but effective soul-groove, and the funkier soul-blues of 'Fools & Horses' are back-to-back downtempo moments that set up the arrival of 'Snowbird.'
Opening with a gentle blues sway before developing a more rhythmic pattern over which Pablo van de Poel adds some tasty six-string work, 'Snowbird tells,' in allegorical/ folk tale styled lyricism, of seeking warmer climes after the cold (of a somewhat frosty or icy relationship). Yet another highlight.
Ballad 'Ships in the Night,' a harmonised plea to "slow down and take it easy" (complete with, again, some tasteful guitar remarks), maintains the downtempo vibe of the preceding tracks.
'Cicada Serenade' (a recording of the stridulated 'singing' of the insects) then closes out the album as night falls in Muscle Shoals.
DeWolff have been worth a listen or three since their self-titled debut EP of 2008 (think an even more out there version of The Doors after a few 'special' Dutch coffees).
But a decade and a half of musical progression and growing songwriting maturity have made DeWolff a far better, and rather excellent, band now – underlined by the quality of their most accomplished album to date.
One that, fittingly, brings plenty of Muscle to their highly individualistic rock 'n' soul sound.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
DeWolff - April 2025 UK Headline Tour Dates
12 April - Stereo, Glasgow
13 April - Deaf Institute, Manchester
15 April - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
16 April - The Fleece, Bristol
17 April - O2 Academy, Oxford
18 April - Garage, London