Webb Wilder
(Blind Pig)
It's no accident that a rollicking version of "Ju Ju Man" kicks off Wilder's newest album; his unquenched penchant for roots-rock majesty is similar to that of fellow guitar slinger and cultural archivist Dave Edmunds. "We play both kinds of music - rock and roll," says Wilder, and both forms converge often on More Like Me. Wilder's song selection is as impeccable and reliable as his guitar wrangling skills (although he shares that slot with produced Joe V. McMahan and longtime associate George "The Tone Chaperone" Bradfute). And one listen to the soulful gumbo of a title track confirms his self-deprecating wit is intact and flourishing.
The whole album swings, from the gospel rocker "Still Water Runs Deep" to the pop rockabilly of "She Said Yeah" and the swampy slide guitar of "Honky Tonkin' (In Mississippi)". Wilder's spacey guitar solos lift the reverb drenched version of Roky Erickson's "Don't Slander Me"; he even throws in a subtle nod to Paul Revere and the Raiders' "Kicks" on his way out the door. Usually when Wilder grabs a cover tune it's a rocker; the exception here is "Sudden Stop", slow enough to be a prom grind number.
Wilder is also a strong songwriter and adds a few gems of his own. Catchy power chords propel "Pretty Is as Pretty Does" (featuring a sitar solo!) while "Come Around" layers classic Badfinger guitar sounds atop a Tom Petty chassis. One of the biggest surprises is his mid-tempo "Too Cool for Love", lyrically clever (think Costello/Hiatt territory) and blessed with an irresistible hook; with sweet background vocals and subtle Hammond organ accents it's a jukebox classic waiting to happen. This is a glorious record, quite possibly his best, and that's saying something.
Standout Tracks: "Too Cool for Love," "Still Water Runs Deep," "Pretty Is As Pretty Does" BILL HOLMES
