One name has been a constant source of joy and fulfillment
in my listening life for almost two decades.
That name is Jim Wilson. Back around the turn of the millennium my
ears were unknowingly introduced to Mr. Wilson when a good friend of mine gave
me a copy of Rollins Band’s Get Some, Go Again album. I loved that album and through my newfound
fandom I learned that the band backing up Rollins was their own separate entity
known as Mother Superior. Jim
Wilson was lead singer/guitarist of Mother
Superior.
Long story short, Mother
Superior became my favorite band and I’ve been a dedicated follower of the
music Jim Wilson releases ever
since. Now Playing is his second solo album. It came out in 2018 and it continues the
artist’s streak of high quality, killer song collections unleashed upon the
masses. This go-round Mr. Wilson teamed
up with renowned drummer/percussionist Phil
Jones who plays on and produced Now
Playing. The result is an album
which truly sounds as if it has been transplanted directly from the 1970s to
today.
Rock ‘n roll as it was?
Rock ‘n roll as it should be?
Rock ‘n roll as it forever will continue to reign? Who cares?
These songs sound spectacular from album opener “Favorite Song” to closing
track “Outside Kids”. And being a
self-professed music fanatic Jim Wilson
has made sure Now Playing reflects
all of the different faces 1970s rock possessed. Early in the album’s running length you have
the full on up-tempo rocket ship “Honeysuckle”, but instead of offering more of
the same the album seamlessly transitions to the touching, folk-tinged ballad
“I Can’t Hear You”. Later on we hear the
horn fueled mid-tempo stomp of “Disillusion” lead directly into happy go lucky
“Lucky Streak” before tossing another musical monkey wrench the listener’s way
with the, dare I say it, disco funk sounding “Energy”. You want variety waveriders? You’ve got it on Now Playing in spades!
So there you have it friends. Anyone on the hunt for some new rock ‘n roll
that hearkens back to the musical glories of the past need look no further than
Now Playing from Jim Wilson. This album, like
everything else Mr. Wilson takes part in, is absolutely fantastic! Grab a vinyl copy for yourself today!
-Penfold
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