ALBUM REVIEW: Wild Ones Never Die – Junkyard Choir
Rock music originated from blues music. Whilst rock music today – with all its sub-genres – is often a far cry from what it used to be back in the 1960s, there are some people who still like it the way it was. Enter JUNKYARD CHOIR. The Croydon-based six-piece blues rock band have gone through several line-up changes, and have released two albums so far. Their third album, Wild Ones Never Die, was created in a small studio room, with red wine-fuelled recording sessions often running into the early hours of the morning.
The result is a joyful and unique album. From the opening saxophone of In My Neighbourhood, accompanied by Mark Woods‘ gravelly voice, the band instantly set the tone of the record to follow. The backing vocals are the highlight of the opening song as they perfectly complement Wood.
Don’t Let The Bastards Grind You Down follows in the form of a swinging blues song, with a fantastic saxophone solo right before the bridge. But it’s not just blues music that JUNKYARD CHOIR are fans of. I’ll Be Gone is more of a gospel song that slows things down only two songs in. Whilst the slow pacing might feel a little abrupt after the fast-pace of the two previous songs, it’s a good early showcase of the nuances in JUNKYARD CHOIR‘s sound.
The best thing about Wild Ones Never Die is that it feels very authentic. The band sound like they all fit together, and whilst some of the slower songs, such as Pot Of Gold, might not appeal to everyone, more rock ‘n’ roll number like the breakneck A Gambler Wouldn’t Back Me are very likely to go down well with a large audience. That isn’t to say that the slower songs are bad either; they are beautiful in their own right, it’s just that sometimes they do affect the overall pacing of the record a little bit.
Apart from that, the album is well-produced, and each song does not feel too long or overstay its welcome. Furthermore, it is great that the band do not limit themselves to one genre, drawing from gospel as mentioned before, as well as soul in the album’s eighth track Someone. They close the record with Out Of Time – a gentle acoustic song which contrasts with the fast-paced opener. It’s a beautiful closer which signifies the journey we have been on throughout the album, with the quiet instruments highlighting the backing vocalists’ gorgeous harmonies.
In conclusion, JUNKYARD CHOIR have delivered a well-produced, thoughtful and unique album. Blues music has become something of a niche genre in rock these days; however, if you are just getting into it, then this album is a good place to start, and if you are already a fan then you should give this album a spin too. Whilst there are a couple of pacing issues midway through, these resolve themselves by the time the album has come full circle, and there are some brilliant genre changes that showcase how diverse this band can be. Wild Ones Never Die is a great introduction for new fans, and a welcome addition to the catalogue for anyone who has been a fan of JUNKYARD CHOIR for a while.
Rating: 8/10
Wild Ones Never Die is set for release on February 24th via self-release.
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