Artist: Johnny and the Rest | Album: Wolves in the Night
A London and Reykjavik based band playing blues, rock and reggae with both English and Icelandic lyrics. It’s all there in the mix, on Johnny and the Rest’s new album Wolves in the night. This is their second full length release and since all the members are working full time jobs at different locations, its’ been five years in the making.
You discover quickly that classics like Jimi Hendrixj, Jethro Tull, Muddy Waters and Cream have a major influence on their sound. And sometimes the imitations become a little too obvious, resulting in that the band´s own musical characteristics suffers. Additionally, the band has two lead singers and switches between two languages, and that makes Johnny And The Rest appears somewhat schizophrenic at times.
The album does provide surprises, albeit of the eyebrow-raising rather than jaw-dropping variety. But on many tracks they manage to craft their own expression with great songs and powerful swing – and then you forget to ask such questions as: wait, what year are we in? The album’s greatest song is the title track, Wolves in the Night, where the retro influences have been toned down and the guitars alternate between playful, rhythmic melodies and bombastic explosions.
The reggae inspired single Mama Ganja got some airplay on Icelandic radio already last year, but last week it also got a video. Here it is. An unlikely mix of visual psychedelics and dried fish.
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