Ride Into The Light, the seventh studio album from ROBERT JON & THE WRECK, is scheduled for release on August 4th, 2023 via Joe Bonamassa’s Journeyman Records.
The Wreck revived their standard recording techniques and this time teamed up with legendary producers Don Was (John Mayer, Bonnie Raitt), Dave Cobb (Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton), Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, The Black Crowes), guitar virtuosos Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith (Marc Broussard, Eric Gales, Joanne Shaw Taylor). The band’s musicianship and compositional abilities consequently increased, and their latest album pays reverent homage to renowned country-rock bands like The Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
“We met with the legendary Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy), who’s written songs with a lot of great artists,” explained frontman Robert Jon Burrison.
“A few weeks later we went into Sunset Sound in LA with Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith as our producers…[and] it evolved into a bit of tribute to the LA session musician scene through the years, combining elements from a few different decades and wound up being a really fun sonic experiment. Joe and Josh were also great to be around, providing a lot of fun musical suggestions and of course some top-notch vintage guitar gear!”
RAW RAMP has already described their sounds as: trustable rock ‘n’ roll with enormous power-sliding expositions, barrels of mashfat vocals, jim-dandy rhythms, backwashing keys, and humming bass notes.
“Pain No More” —co-written by Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke, and all four members of Robert Jon & The Wreck – Robert Jon Burrison (vocals, guitar), Henry James (Schneekluth, guitar), Warren Murrel (bass) and Andrew Espantmen (drums)— has heart-pounding, infectious harmonies and a jaw-dropping guitar riff that is more attention-getting ‘n’ razor-sharp than a mattress fashioned out of barrel cacti. The raspy voice attacks you like coal-tar creosote and diesel-smeared buckskin. Lead guitar Henry’s captivating slide guitar solo, which is lankier than a power pole lineman working topmast on the highest voltage, teeters (yet keeps balance) on the heartbreak.
a hallooing caper with Alex Lifesonish guitars and 38 Special pulsations…
Raw Ramp Music Magazine
The gently shoreline swishing and Eaglish “Who Can You Love” is a tone poem that circles your heart like a shearwater spiralling the jagged rocks of truth. And if you like your chord patterns delivered bold and bright, the urban sophisto groove on “One Of A Kind” wil be right up your street.
While “Come At Me” is a ready-hauling pick-me-up rock ‘n’ roller (similar in structure to AC/DCs It’s a Long Way to the Top, so don’t be surprised if you recognise it, but this version is more obviously jangleknotted and countrified) so the number is a hallooing caper with Alex Lifesonish guitars and 38 Special pulsations.
“West Coast Eyes” is summery glad, has a timeless calm vibe and alluring velveted guitar. The vocals of Robert Jon have the same flavour profile as marmalade coconut cream: i.e. citrus, pepper, and just the perfect amount of satin.
“Don’t Look Down“ produced by Joe Bonamassa & Josh Smith (video shared below) is authentically danceable Americana in the style of Tom Petty, with grandaciously wide sweeps of gracious rhythmicity that go splendaciously with the horseradish and canvas cough-drop vocals and the twangle of guitar. Invigorating!
File alongside: Don Henley, Betts, Hall, Leavell and Trucks
Words: © Neil Mach
Main photo: © Rob Bondurant