Written by: Paul Monkhouse
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Philip Sayce
The Wolves Are Coming
OUT NOW
Having been brought up in a house full of Blues coming from the family record player certainly set Philip Sayce up for greatness. From hearing artists like Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton as a child to appearing with the latter at Slow Hand’s Guitar Festival at Madison Square Gardens in 2013 his has been a life dominated by the music. Touring with the likes of Uncle Kracker, Melissa Etheridge and playing with Jeff Healey, Robbie Robertson and Jimmy Barnes amongst others, appearing on film soundtracks and seeing a string of acclaimed albums under his own name has proven that his choice of picking up a six-string has been absolutely the right one. Now, with this new release, he may have created a career best yet.
The Wolves Are Coming is an album full of incendiary fretwork and real soul, the axe attack both powerful and with a restraint that shows that Sayce is in a different class to most of the guitar slingers out there who choose egotistical flash over something that brings depth to the songs. A more intelligent and classier artist, his songs are each complete stories, barnstorming when he wants them to be, heartbreaking at others. He does know how to party though and when he turns it up, a good time is guaranteed.
It’s an album with many hues, constantly shifting shape and bringing a kaleidoscope of colours that brings enticing prospects of fresh layers with each listen. Things open with an earthshaking bang, the big and ballsy Oh! That Bitches Brew sounding like a wild jam between Cream, Living Colour, Jimi Hendrix and with a splash of Led Zeppelin thrown into the mix. It’s certainly an explosive start and there’s an energy in the following Lady Love Divine but this is focussed into a bouncing, summery feel that’s full of a funky groove and great melodic hook, dancing is guaranteed.
It’s an album with many hues, constantly shifting shape and bringing a kaleidoscope of colours that brings enticing prospects of fresh layers with each listen.
Whilst Sayce has very much developed his own style and sound, he’s never afraid to tip the hat to his influences and the Texas Flood strut of Your Love, riotous The Moon is Full and Backstabber with its heavy barrage at the close, all have the fingerprints of the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughn in their DNA. There’s a lot to hear though and from the furious Babylon is Burning, the grand, Gospel-tinged sweep of It’s Over Now up to the stridently dirty Black Moon each chapter is a new discovery.
Things take a more stellar turn with the widescreen and spacey drift of Blackbirds Fly Alone as Sayce’s guitar hits the stratosphere during the solo, his playing jaw dropping, the equally epic Intuition a grandstanding display. The album comes down to earth on closer This is Hip as Sayce has a fun, the stripped back vocals, acoustic guitar and keys bring a smile to the face, no shred of bombast, just a good time. A master craftsman at work, The Wolves Are Coming is going to be hard to beat this year.
Band Members
Philip Sayce – Vocals/Guitar
Photo Credit: Matt Barnes
Track Listing
- Oh! That Bitches Brew
- Lady Love Divine
- Babylon Is Burning
- Your Love
- It’s Over Now
- Black Moon
- Blackbirds Fly Alone
- The Moon Is Full
- Backstabber
- Intuition
- This Is Hip