CD: “Grow” by Willie And The Bandits

Roots music is quite simply a genre which is impossible to define. However, over the last few years, Wille and the Bandits have put a serious stake in their claim to be a defining element to this genres mystery, through their blinding live performances across Europe and releasing three top class albums. Following touring with Deep Purple in France last year and numerous festival slots, you would expect a band carrying such momentum to create a record stronger than previous material…and so they have done just that.

Quite frankly, opening tracks “Gotta To Do Better” and “Gypsy Woman” blow me away. This band have grown their own sound, which has matured into a carnivorous cocktail of genre defying roots music. Although the record occasionally tends to cross the same patterns at times, the likes of the emotional ‘Under The Grove’ and dreamy ‘Butterfly For a Day’ hint towards a crossover of thoughtful song-writing, whilst allowing this outfit to drive home their point home through Wille’s gruff vocal style and wailing guitar solos, which coincide beautifully with the outstanding rhythm work from drummer, Drew and bassist and backing vocalist, Matt.

The imagery induced by their sound reaches an all time high during twelve minute epic, ‘Angel’ which defies anything any other band in roots music has ever dared to attempt. It’s difficult to summarise this band’s sound sound through a single piece of imagery, but a commonly occurring thought falls in the fairy tale like picture of a great hairy beast tending to the needs of a small wounded animal. The intricate details of life such as pain and suffering, money, fame or any other matter can be the bane of our lives. This image I have described is meant to demonstrate that just like WATB’s gruff and edgy sound, these fragile issues can still be dealt with just as well by anyone in this world.

Grow is certainly a well rounded roots record packed with spiritually uplifting energy and raw emotion and shows that although Wille and The Bandits are soaring higher than ever before, this could just be the beginning for one of the most exciting bands in Europe.

“Grow” is out October 14th

Track-Listing
Gotta Do Better
Gypsy Woman
Try To Be Yourself
Under The Grove
Butterfly For A Day
Still Go Marching On
Why Díyou Do It
Son Of A Gun
Keep Moving On
Forgiveness
Angel

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