By Andrew Bansal
Detroit rock ‘n roll party crashers Wilson put out a stellar debut album called ‘Full Blast Fuckery’ in 2013 and followed it up with extensive touring to present insanely high-energy and fun-filled shows anywhere and everywhere they could. Now, they are back with their sophomore full-length effort ‘Right To Rise’, set for release on June 29th via Razor & Tie. On this album, they maintain the rawness and exuberance that dominated the debut, but have successfully channeled it into a set of catchy, massive-sounding tunes that embody the spirit of their homeland.
The album begins on a lively note with the title track itself, and with tracks like ‘Guilty’ and ‘Crave’, wastes no time in getting into a solid groove. The riffs and the rhythm section are simple yet effective, the solos are well-crafted, and the vocals range between clean and aggressive segments and adjust excellently with the varying expression of the music and the lyrics. The production approach is crisp and definitely modern, but fits the band’s style perfectly and brings the best out of the sound Wilson is going for on ‘Right To Rise’. The album flows seamlessly but its second half boasts of the better musicial compositions, ‘Hang With The Devil’ standing out as one of the highlights.
With the songwriting style and lyrical subject matter, Wilson certainly showcase a great degree of pride in their Detroit roots, and their attitude undoubtedly rubs off on the listener. For that reason, Wilson look poised to add to the crop of successful ‘blue-collar rock’ bands going around at present. Fans of the likes of AC/DC, Steel Panther, Motörhead and Crobot would find instant appreciation in what Wilson stands for. This kind of music has been made by several bands for decades, and there is no reinvention of the wheel here, but as is evident from this album, Wilson clearly excel at playing the music they know and love best.
‘Right To Rise’ is Wilson’s honest, whole-hearted attempt at anti-hipster rock ‘n roll, and a thoroughly enjoyable one.
Rating: 8/10
Record Label: Razor & Tie
Release Date: June 29th 2015
Track Listing:
01. Right To Rise
02. Guilty (you’re already dead)
03. Crave
04. Windows Down!
05. All My Friends
06. Satisfy Me
07. The Flood
08. Hang With The Devil
09. I Am The Fly
10. Give ‘Em Hell
11. Waiting For The World to Cave In
12. Before I Burn
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