THE WILD! – Still Believe In Rock and Roll (2020)

Canada and Rock and Roll – when you think of that what comes to mind? There’s such a rich musical rock history from Rush to Lee Aaron and Triumph to Bryan Adams and BTO. I reckon I could go on for half and hour without even getting into the wealth of new bands out there. At the moment though there’s one name to pay attention: THE WILD!
The band’s last long player is ten tracks of no nonsense Rock and Roll as its title promises – “Still Believe In Rock and Roll” from the dirty rocker opener ‘Bad News’ which starts with the sound of something (probably a Harley?) racing down the highway (and it is as sleazy as blues gets) all the way through to the lone ballad here ‘Gasoline’, which closes.
They’ve been holed up in a studio with Mike Fraser – and if a rock n’ roll band hasn’t had at a least one of their albums worked on by him, then they didn’t make it big.

Rock n’ roll, whether its Motorhead, The Stones, Biters (who I swear to the God of Ozzy Osbourne should have been huge) Poison, or Guns N’ Roses, whoever, is something that takes you away from your life. Which Christ knows, everyone needs right now.
Or, to boil it down. Rock n roll is these words: “I don’t need no reason, ‘cos I don’t give a shit….”
The first line of “Nothing Good Comes Easy” is exactly that, and that is the third song on “Still Believe In Rock N Roll”, and that, right there, is The Wild! Mission statement.

“Crazy (For You)” merrily enquires “how about we f@ck this out?” and the absolute boogie of “High Speed” doesn’t care as it long as it leaves the scene of the crime (and there will be a crime, somewhere) while “King Of This Town” doesn’t half sound like it should be on a Junkyard record from about 1988.

Remember that escapism thing? Here it is. The opening line of the title track. “Free drugs, cheap thrills, give me sex on the weekend” sneers band leader & vocalist Dylan Villain, in the manner of a fella that isn’t waiting for Saturday.
“Playing With Fire” has the air if early Aerosmith, the dangerous cool kind, playing ZZ Top covers (and ZZ Top, they are definitely rock n’ roll), “Young Rebels” changes tack a little, underlining their southern rock taste, and “Goin’ To Hell” is just fun and party-ready.

The last one, “Gasoline” is a kind of ballad. But its also the type of ballad that might be written by a man with a hangover, but deep down, you know that Dylan and the boys are going to be out and doing it all again tonight. No ifs, no but’s, no regrets.
Or maybe its their escapism too? And, who cares right now? The fact is, to put this on is to experience a rush of enjoyment.
So say it loud, say it proud – or keep one fist in the gutter and the other in the goal – and if you “Still Believe In Rock N’ Roll”, go Wild!

01. Bad News
02. Crazy (for You)
03. Nothing Good Comes Easy
04. High Speed
05. King of This Town
06. Still Believe In Rock And Roll
07. Playing With Fire
08. Young Rebels
09. Goin’ To Hell
10. Gasoline

Dylan Villain – lead vocals, guitar
Boozus – bass, vocals
The Kid – guitar, vocals
Crash Anderson – drums

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www.amazon.co.uk/Still-Believe-Rock-Roll-Wild/dp/B084DFZP6L