Webb Wilder- "Town and Country" a review of the new CD
With the opening sound of the guitar in "Stay Out Of Automobiles", Webb Wilder is back on the music scene with his first release in four years. Webb actually never left the music scene. As he told me after a recent show, "the tour that never ends". Webb has been constantly touring the east coast and midwest over the past few years. Playing to "adoring public" is something that Webb enjoys. Now there is a new record with some great songs to add to the always entertaining live show.
This record is different from past Webb releases yet it is also similar. It differs since every song on this album is from another artists. It is the same due to Webb's treatment of the songs. He makes them sound like the Webb Wilder music we know and love. Not to country, not too rock and roll. As Webb states on the track "To The Loving Public": "I'll always said I had one foot in country and one in rock and roll and since they're both about 13A, I'm covering a lot of ground". This is a collection of the band's favorite road songs. "It's just us doing songs we like by other people... like the way you'd put together a car tape but we're using equipment that sounds better..." ays long-time Webb producer R. S. Field.
The songs vary from rock to country yet they sound like originals to me since I have never heard many of the originals. Keeping with a tradition of always having a cool instrumental number on each of the previous three releases, Webb covers the theme from "Goldfinger" in great fashion. "Talk Talk" is a song I recall being done by Alice Cooper way back when although the original was done by Music Machine. Here it gets the Webb treatment and comes off sounding great. My favorites include "Slow Death", "Stay Out Of Automobiles", and "Lover Not A Fighter" (reminiscent of the Beat Farmers great version).
Les James keeps a steady beat with solid drumming while Kelly Looney rounds out the rhythm section on bass. George "Torch" Bradfute- the Tone Chaperone cranks out some great licks on the guitar as does Webb himself. Songs like "Slow Death", "Honky Tonk Hell", "Rockin' Little Angel", and "Short On Love" all sound fresh and work well together. All told, Webb Wilder is one of the most underrated artists currently playing today. He has great crossover potential with the popularity of country music today. BUT don't get me wrong, Webb Wilder is a rock and roller.
As Webb says, " There's no beginning, there's no end, just an eternal Webb"
"Town and Country" will be released Feb. 21, 1995 by Watermelon Records (Austin, Texas) and found at finer music stores. The catalog number is WM 1018 and is available on CD or cassette. Be sure to get a copy of this great CD.
Town and Country won the Best Indie Album of the Year at the 1996 Nashville Music Awards show, the Nammies, last night (2/21/96).
Webb was also a presenter, too, with Ashley Judd. Cool, huh?