Robert Jon And The Wreck – ‘Red Moon Rising’

I honestly do not have enough superlatives in my vocabulary to adequately describe this record.

They were formed back in 2011, and are a five-piece Blues and Southern Rock band from Los Angeles, California, comprising of Robert Jon Burrison (lead vocals, guitar), Warren Murrel (bass), Henry James Schneekluth (lead guitar), Andrew Espantman (drums), and Jake Abernathie (keyboards). ‘Red Moon Rising’ is their ninth studio album, following on from the excellent ‘Ride Into The Light’. The recent addition of Abernathy has really added to the dual guitar attack, especially when he is playing on his Hammond B3.

The twelve tunes will rock you to your core, right from the first note, to the very last one. There is plenty of variety on the disc as well though; opening song ‘Stone Cold Killer’ is an out and out rocker. Released as a single with a fun cartoon character video, featuring a catchy sing-along chorus, and the first of many epic solos from Schneekluth. The standout track is “The Ballad Of A Broken Hearted Man’; the video recorded on a friend’s porch has had well over 800,000 views on YouTube already, and with good reason. It is a showcase for the undoubted talents of the whole band, it feels like a crime to single anyone out, however this tune was clearly written to showcase Burrison’s gravelly vocals.

Grammy award winner Tom Hambridge co-wrote ‘Give Love’ with the guys; it has a simple message sang over uplifting piano melodies and soaring vocals. They then switch to Country Rock on the gentle ‘Worried Mind’, featuring acoustic guitar and harmonica. I honestly do not have enough superlatives in my vocabulary to adequately describe this record.

They are back in Europe again during the summer playing numerous festivals, and will head back again at the end of October for a series of twenty-six gigs; go check them out, you will thank me. Yeah, they may well be the hardest working band out there just now, if there was a music award for that, I would give it to them hands down.