Wille and the bandits – Paths

Wille & the bandits will release their new album, “Paths” on 1st February 2019 and are due to follow that with a 19 date UK tour in March with Rainbreakers as special guests. If you’ve seen them live you’ll know Wille & the bandits are a superb live act with an amazing amount of power and energy. Often bands like that translate poorly to record as you somehow lose much of the raw energy of their live show. This album does a much better job than I’d expected of capturing and reproducing some of that live raw energy – you really do get a lot of that live feel from the album.

Unusually for such a high energy live band, they don’t stick to the simple gutiar, bass and drums formula. Wille Edwards plays not only electric guitar but also acoustic guitar, electric lap steel, dobro and electric weissenhorn – and of course he does lead vocals too. Matt Brooks not only plays a 6 string bass, but also a 5 string double bass and cello, while Andrew Naumann plays drums, congas, djemebes, jews harp, udu, shakers and wood and steel tongue drums.
That diverse range of instruments allows them to add more variety to their sound, but it’s always done subtly where a song calls for it – you never get bits where a particular instrument stands out so much you can’t mistake it, instead it’s there if you listen closely, but always as an integral part of the music.

The album kicks off with “One way” – a great song with a nice brisk pace and plenty of energy to get things underway. The lyrics list various leaders who have stood for peaces (such as Mahatma Gandhi) in the chorus while the verses are about how Western countries and their less desirable foreign policy choices. It’s a subject that could have turned into a depressing diatribe but the pace of the music and the well written lyrics stop it sinking to that level and instead keep it as a great song to listen to.

A very different song is “How long” – it’s a slower paced song which is appropriate for the subject and inspiration of the lyrics. Inspired by the death of one of Wille’s favourite singers, Chris Cornell, the song is about depression and how long it takes to overcome it.

Check out the first video from the album – Find my way…

It’s a fantastic album. There’s the fast high energy songs that really capture that live feel, and there are softer more thoughtful songs, and of course everything in between. There’s plenty of variety here but what is consistent throughout is the great musicianship and the excellent songwriting.

“Paths” will be released on 1st February 2019

Track listing:

1. One way
2. Make love
3. Victim of the night
4. Four million days
5. Chakra
6. Keep it on the down-low
7. Judgement day
8. How long
9. Find my way
10. Watch you grow
11. Retribution

Tour dates:

Giants of Rock, Minehead*
Saturday 26th January 2019
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Butlin’s, Warren Rd, Minehead TA24 5SH
www.butlins.com

Phoenix, Exeter*
Wednesday 30th January 2019
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Gandy St, Exeter EX4 3LS
www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

The Factory, Barnstaple*
Thursday 31st January 2019
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Petroc Brannams Campus, Barnstaple, Devon EX31 3NJ
https://thefactoryvenue.co.uk

The 1865, Southampton*
Friday 1st February 2019
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Brunswick Square, Southampton SO14 3AR
www.the1865.com

The Cobblestones, Bridgwater*
Friday 8th February 2019
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71 Eastover, Bridgwater TA6 5AP
www.thecobblestonesmusic.co.uk

The Old Bakery, Truro*
Saturday 9th February 2019
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Blewett’s Wharf, Malpas Road, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 1QH
www.oldbakerystudios.co.uk

Guildhall, Gloucester*
Friday 15th February 2019
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23 Eastgate St, Gloucester GL1 1NS
www.gloucesterguildhall.co.uk

Ropetackle, Shoreham
Wednesday 6th March 2019
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Little High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5EG
https://ropetacklecentre.co.uk

Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
Thursday 7th March 2019
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11 Womanby St, Cardiff CF10 1BR
https://clwb.net

The Junction, Plymouth
Friday 8th March 2019
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6 Mutley Plain, Plymouth PL4 6LA
www.facebook.com/mutleyjunction

Thekla, Bristol
Saturday 9th March 2019
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The Grove, East Mud Dock, Bristol BS1 4RB
www.theklabristol.co.uk

The Bodega, Nottingham
Wednesday 13th March 2019
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23 Pelham St, Nottingham NG1 2ED
www.bodeganottingham.com

O2 Academy 2, Liverpool
Thursday 14th March 2019
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11-13 Hotham St, Liverpool L3 5UF
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyliverpool

O2 Academy 2, Sheffield
Friday 15th March 2019
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37-43 Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2PN
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academysheffield

The Continental, Preston*
Saturday 16th March 2019
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South Meadow Lane, Preston PR1 8JP
http://newcontinental.net

Victoria Hall, Settle*
Sunday 17th March 2019
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Kirkgate, Settle BD24 9DZ
www.settlevictoriahall.org.uk

Fibbers, York
Tuesday 19th March 2019
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3-5 Toft Green, York YO1 6JT
www.fibbers.co.uk

The Hug & Pint, Glasgow
Wednesday 20th March 2019
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171 Great Western Rd, Glasgow G4 9AW
www.thehugandpint.com

Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
Thursday 21st March 2019
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19a W Register St, Edinburgh EH2 2AA
www.thevoodoorooms.com

The Cluny, Newcastle
Friday 22nd March 2019
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36 Lime St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 2PQ

Home

Top Secret, Scarborough*
Saturday 23rd March 2019
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Scarborough Spa Complex, South Bay, Scarborough, YO11 2HD
http://scarboroughbluesfestival.org.uk

Junction 2, Cambridge
Sunday 24th March 2019
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Clifton Way, Cambridge CB1 7GX
www.junction.co.uk

The Waterfront, Norwich
Wednesday 27th March 2019
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139-141 King St, Norwich NR1 1QH
http://waterfrontnorwich.webflow.io

O2 Academy 3, Birmingham
Thursday 28th March 2019
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16-18 Horse Fair, Birmingham B1 1DB
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academybirmingham

O2 Academy 2, Oxford
Friday 29th March 2019
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190 Cowley Rd, Oxford OX4 1UE
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyoxford

O2 Academy 2 Islington, London
Saturday 30th March 2019
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16 Parkfield St, London N1 0PS
www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyislington