PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
To say I was out of my comfort zone reviewing Blues Is Still Alive, latest album by Will Wilde is an understatement, but after a few plays everything clicked into gear when these harmonica heavy ten songs are a force to be reckoned with. Released on February 25th, 2025 via Vizz Tone Records, just sit back, relax and soak up some thrilling blues majesty!
The album opens up strongly with the title track as Will is aided by extraordinary blues guitar legend,Walter Trout. It makes itself known immediately, proving the validity of the songs intent. Skin flaying harmonica flies out of the traps with added guitar from Walter. Lyrics make their mark, highlighting the the struggles we face everyday. A midway guitar solo is genius personified and a vibrato ridden solo from Will.
‘Wild Man’ is a full on romp from early harmonica stabs, but his backing band are no slouches, providing a foil to shred once more for some boisterous barroom boogie.
‘Don’t Play With Fire’ opens with a gnarly lead vocal, adding venom to a seemingly stormy relationship for this toetapper to surge along. Sugar sweet backing vocals, a punchy rhythm section and a spotlight stealing ear shredding harmonica solo raises the roof.
‘Gypsy Woman’ has a silky smooth acoustic opener, keyboards and snare drums are the palette for this weepy to ache with tear inducing moods.
‘Trouble Of That Girl’, in a good way, forges along on a song so fragile, could implode at any second as it trawls along at snails pace for Will to lay on the line, this tearful story.
‘Stole My Love’, took a few plays, but the rewards are endless as this hearts grown cold ballad crawls along at snails pace with bombastic stomps.
‘Girls Got Soul’ changes the mood for this hot rails to hell journey as the band rock out with an almost headbanging delivery that doesn’t let up for three minutes of organ throttling ire, strangely enough sounding a bit like ‘The Boy From New York City’.
‘Learn How To Love’ goes through the gears once more for this major rager to riff along for a full on axe attack until that harmonica lights the fuse for all hell to break loose.
‘Broken Dream Blues’ is another heart worn on sleeve poignant song as the morose lyrics capture the mood from someone who can go no further as Will delivers one of his wildest solos.
‘Don’t Trust Me’ closes this highly impressive album with a smile inducing slice of all you can eat blues but still has a hidden meaning when it beefs up for a party starting and finishing hoedown.
Will shares his personal connection to the album: “With Blues Is Still Alive I wanted to prove that the blues is as relevant today as it’s ever been. When it comes to the blues, I don’t like to mess around with the formula too much; I don’t think there’s anything wrong with playing a straight-up 12 bar, but you have to MEAN IT! There are a lot of blues artists who just imitate what has gone before and don’t have anything new to say, so with this album it was important to me to put my own stamp on the blues and bring something new to the genre, whilst still remaining authentic to its long-standing traditions.”
The album features a stellar backing band, including the seasoned talents of Steve Rushton (Imelda May, Jeff Beck) on drums, Greg Coulson (Greg Coulson Band, Spiritualized, Morcheeba) on keys, Bobby Harrison (Cliff Richard, Brit Floyd) on guitar, and Russell Carr (Skin, The Blockheads) on bass. Together, they create a rhythm section that grooves hard, setting the stage for Will’s electrifying harmonica to soar.
Wilde’s talent has not gone unnoticed — he’s been nominated for two prestigious awards at this year’s UK Blues Awards: Contemporary Blues Artist Of The Year and Instrumentalist Of The Year.
Album Tracks
Blues Is Still Alive
Wild Man
Don’t Play With Fire
Gypsy Woman
Trouble Of That Girl
Stole My Love
Girl’s Got Soul
Learn How To Love
Broken Dream Blues
Don’t Trust Me
Will Wilde info, including purchase links to the album :- http://willharmonicawilde.com
- £12 CD.
