Review: Will Wilde – Blues Is Still Alive
Will Wilde – Blues Is Still Alive
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital / Label: VizzTone Label Group
Release: 2025
Text: Andy Trachsel
Whenever I write a review of a recent album I reminisce about the classic performers of the genre. For me Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Charlie Musselwhite are the masters of the bluesharp. But Will Wilde is something special! He even isn’t American but British for God sake. He uses a special tuning and plays the bluesharp like a hardrocker! Our man from Brighton has recorded an album called ‘Blues is Still Alive’ and he wants you to know it is still Alive. Right in your face!
The guest on the title song Blues Is Still Alive is the legendary guitarist Walter Trout. While opening with bluesharp and Hammond the hand of Walters guitar playing is quite present. Even the voice of Will sounds like mr. Trout! He owns the song. But then the brute harp force of Will brings you back to reality. It’s an album of Will Wilde!
With Wild Man the blues shuffle moves out your speakers. Nice drumming like Dutch brother Eduard Nijenhuis (‘the shuffle king’). There’s good interaction between the Fender guitar and the deep sounding harp.
Don’t Play With Fire has a nice guitar riff. The harp sets in and is sharp like a knife. Will is playing with fire and burns the house down! Gypsy Woman takes the pace down. It’s a jazzy bluesy song which could be played in a smokey bar. The Fender Rhodes is playing in a honky tonk manner and Will is out of his comfort zone. The harp is truly tender and mysterious just like a gypsy woman.
The next song is Trouble Of That Girl. An up tempo song with an angry sounding harp. The kind of trouble could be in Stole My Love. A laid back blues with a subtile Hammond, guitar and harp. But then things get mean and the loud harp awakes! Will sings ‘I find me another woman who knows to treat me right’.
The next two songs tell the follow up story. Girl’s Got Soul is a stomping blues with Chuck Berry’s guitar chords and Will’s leading voice and harp. Learn How To Love has a basic guitar riff. The song is not strong and could be called a ‘filler’.
I like the lazy sounding Broken Dream Blues. Soft syrene Hammond and guitar, surprising hi-hat breaks and the harp working up to a climax.
The album ends with the shuffle Don’t Trust Me. Maybe it’s me but I hear a little bit of Kim Wilson. Well the blues is still Alive!
Tracks:
01. Blues Is Still Alive
02. Wild Man
03. Don’t Play With Fire
04. Gypsy Woman
05. Trouble Of That Girl
06. Stole My Love
07. Girl’s Got Soul
08. Learn How To Love
09. Broken Dream Blues
10. Don’t Trust Me
Website: https://www.willharmonicawilde.com/