Despite following a lot of bands, both old and new, I am never satisfied with my knowledge of music - and am always on the lookout for my next favourite band. As such, new discoveries are fairly regular - but perhaps the one that stands out the most recently was my discovery of Robert Jon & The Wreck. I first heard the band's name a year or so ago, due to their former keyboard player Steve Maggiora's current association with Toto, but it is only in the last month or so that I started to listen to their work. I had earmarked them to check out, but when they recently announced a UK tour for later this year that included a fairly local date I decided to take the plunge. I picked up a copy of their most recent album Shine a Light on Me Brother, which was released in 2021, and essentially loved it from the off. The band's mix of southern rock, blues, and country ticked a lot of the boxes which I tend to like. Immediately I heard bands like Blackberry Smoke and the Eagles in Robert Jon & The Wreck's sound, all wrapped up in a soulful packaged and delivered with the heartland rock strut of legends such as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger. I had assumed that the band were pretty new, so was quite surprised to find out that they have been around since 2011 - and have released seven studio albums alongside a couple of compilations and a live album. A few musicians have some and gone from the band over the years, with Robert Jon Burrison being the driving force. Currently backing Burrison is guitarist Henry James Schneekluth, bassist Warren Murrel, and drummer Andrew Espantman - with the keyboard position currently vacant following Maggiora's departure. Last month the band released some new music in the form of a four-track digital-only EP. One of a Kind, which came out a few weeks ago via Joe Bonamassa's Journeyman Records, seems set to be a taster of what is to come from the band - and perhaps was released to capitalise on the band seemingly getting more attention here in Europe than previously. The press release for the EP suggests that the four songs here are the first batch of a handful of new tracks which will see the light of day over the next year or so. It would appear that, instead of releasing an eighth studio album this year, the band want to adopt a 'little and often' approach with their latest batch of songs. Even the age of streaming I am not convinced that such a model works that well, especially as the album as a listening experience is still largely valued in the rock community, but it nevertheless means that there are more treats from Robert Jon & The Wreck to look forward to. Regardless of that, though, One of a Kind stands on its own as a fun slab of upbeat southern rock - and is typical of what little I know of the band's back catalogue to this point. With two of the songs produced by Don Was and the other two produced by Dave Cobb, this is a release which sees the band working with higher profile names than previously, too - especially considering that the opening number here was also co-written by Charlie Starr (Blackberry Smoke).
Despite the current vacancy, One of a Kind still features plenty of retro keyboard sounds. Whether Maggiora contributed these before he left or whether they were played by someone else is not clear, but it is good to see the band's keyboard-heavy sound retained. Pain No More kicks the EP off, and the hard rocking piece picks up where Shine a Light on Me Brother left off two years. Starr's writing influence is clear, and the song sounds like Blackberry Smoke - but with a bit more hard rock grit and plenty of slide guitar from Schneekluth. Slide guitar seems to be a big part of the band's sound, and the main riff has a great slide accent - backed by some roaring Hammond organ - which help the bluesy grooves to shine. The verses have more of a country twang, with upbeat piano melodies and Burrison's soulful vocals, whilst the chorus goes for a more expansive, organ-drenched sound - before the opening guitar riff once again re-asserts itself. A lengthy Schneekluth solo showcases his talents nicely, and the song opens the EP in a fiery, yet organic, manner. Who Can You Love slows the pace quite considerably, and the piece emphasises the country side of the band's sound. The hard rock bombast of the previous song is generally absent, with Burrison's acoustic guitar driving everything, whilst Schneekluth adds occasional bluesy accents. Gentle keyboards and a light-touch drum groove back everything, whilst Murrel's walking bassline provides a great melodic counter to Burrison's heartfelt vocals. The chorus is somewhat more expansive, but the overall vibe is retained. There is a big focus on vocal harmonies during the chorus, and the influence of bands like the Eagles is apparent here - with occasional ringing piano melodies adding some additional interest. A bluesy guitar solo allows for a brief change of pace, but the country twang never leaves. The title track then ups the pace again, and the song is a more upbeat bluesy hard rocker - with more slide guitar-accented riffing and plenty more Hammond organ. The band really shine when they let their raw, harder rock side shine, and One of a Kind is a track that allows that sound to flourish. Schneekluth is unleashed here, his slide playing dominating - with his interjections during the chorus particularly shining. Elsewhere, brash rock riffing and a driving drum performance keep the song moving at a decent pace - whilst Burrison's vocal melodies during the chorus are hooky, leading to the hard-driving song becoming a real earworm. It is the sort of song that is likely to go down well live, and will likely become a setlist staple going forward. Come at Me, the EP's closing track, is somewhat similar, but the song feels more overtly-southern rock - with a more deliberate pace and more emphasis on groove. The chorus is more brash, with some gang vocals and a joyous overall atmosphere, whilst a fiery guitar break is never too far away - which all feel at home against the prominent, strutting bassline. There are Blackberry Smoke vibes again present here, but the song just feels like a more soulful take on classic 1970s southern rock - and it closes this latest release from the band in rollocking style. Despite there only being four songs here, there is sufficient diversity throughout the EP - and each is memorable for different reasons. Robert Jon & The Wreck are going to get a lot of attention from me over the coming months, and it has been great to kickstart my love for the band with this new EP.
The EP was released on 10th March 2023 via Journeyman Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Pain No More.
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