Question: What do Robert Jon, Noel Gallagher and the Stereophonics (for instance) all have in common? – the answer being an almost uncanny ability to churn out song after song, hit after hit, all sounding good/great, despite sounding like it comes to them so easy they’re doing it in their sleep! Know what I mean? – sometimes I get to thinking a band is so effortlessly natural at this that I shouldn’t like them because where’s the “hard work ethic”, the artist toiling to create? Then I play the new stuff….and I’m gone again!
In a positively mind-blowing surge of creativity, Southern rock behemoths Robert Jon & The Wreck have followed months of circumnavigating the globe via live performances and continuously releasing new singles, with the release of their latest full-length studio production, Red Moon Rising. Coming out on Joe Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records, the album is a bold declaration of evolution and rebirth, capturing the essence of the band’s transformative years and setting a new course for their musical odyssey. The album’s lead single and title track, Red Moon Rising (see the video below) emerges as a beacon of this new era. With its funk-infused rhythms and thought-provoking lyrics, the song represents a slight departure from the band’s traditional sound. “Red Moon Rising started out as a simple jam in the room and took on a life of its own,” reveals frontman Robert Jon. “It’s about all the beliefs, myths, and traditions surrounding a red moon, symbolizing rebirth and change, which perfectly encapsulates the spirit of our new album.“
Hailing from Southern California, Robert Jon & The Wreck take the Southern rock sound and sound like they invented it. Imagine the Allman Brothers, Grand Funk Railroad etc, all “juiced” and injected into the veins of these guys! Since their inception in 2011, these native Californians; Robert Jon Burrison (lead vocals, guitar), Andrew Espantman (drums, background vocals), Henry James Schneekluth (lead guitar, background vocals), and Warren Murrel (bass) have been electrifying audiences all over the world with their soaring guitar leads, rich vocal harmonies, and memorable tunes. Over the last 18 months, keyboardist Jake Abernathie joined the band as an official member as they continue to tour and record in the studio. Simply put, it is difficult to ignore when these talented musicians take the stage.
Okay, how to describe RJTW’s music – Opener Stone Cold Killer kicks in as a vintage slab of Good Ol’ Southern Rock, slide included. Nicely upbeat, big chorus, simply timeless. You might feel as though you’ve heard it all before – and maybe you have – but it’s just so consummately belted out, drenched in sunshine and hard liquor, the additional swirling organ courtesy of Jake A really adding that nice fat timbre to the band’s sound. Trouble continues in the same vein, the subject matter being yet another sassy woman….! Scorcher of a guitar solo from Henry JS, I know it wont be the last…
Ballad Of A Broken Hearted Man lowers the mood just a tad, its got a slightly more Country ballad feel to it. There’s a lovely live/outdoors-ish tone to the guitars, another big harmonic chorus, all very easy listening to this pair of lobes. Next up is is the aforementioned title track, definitely exploring a big dose of funk on top of the trademark slide and drawl. This band is so tight and clearly loving the work-out, bass-man Warren and drummer-man Andrew excelling in the loping vibes! It’s a great track, I’m sure I’ve heard something similar before but Who Cares…
Dragging Me Down retains the new Southern Funk in its staccato beat, while the guitar lines are as good as ever – and at this point it’s worth reflecting on Robert’s ever-growing power in the range of his singing/hollering. In comes Henry for yet another tasty solo, these guys simply live and breathe classy blues-rock.
Okay, so there aren’t too many big surprises here – fans of the band will know exactly what they’re getting, and Hold On is another great example of their craft. Southern-Rock-by-numbers would be a harsh tag to put on the band, but it does sort of give newbies the gist of what they’re about – and I do mean that as a compliment, as I said at the beginning you could be forgiven to thinking they’ve invented the genre. Down No More is another country ballad, full of melody, full of sumptuous bluesy touches. Help Yourself is totally soaked in atmosphere, a sunny vibe; Worried Mind is gorgeous, could be The Byrds or Gram Parsons at times, or The Ozarks with lovely harmonies, aching slide guitar, and a crisp, clean sound that’s straight off the back porch….
The album comes to a close with Give Love, initially a slightly low-key blues number echoing their new-found funky vibe and still superbly arranged and performed, building into a guitar solo crescendo that positively reeks of the Allman Brothers’ Jessica! Two bonus tracks appear on the CD, Rager and Hate To See You Go, both sounding like single-take live sessions with all the hallmarks of a great live band giving it their all (and more shimmering guitar licks). All in all a hugely accomplished group of musicians who write and perform peerless Southern rock for fun and pleasure – ours and most definitely theirs!
It’s worth noting that, following last year’s critically acclaimed September 2023 UK tour (and playing to most of the globe in the meantime!), the band return to the UK in November of this this year to promote the album. Ten more opportunities to see them, tickets are on general sale at robertjonandthewreck.com.
