Robert Jon & The Wreck – Ride Into The Light

This is the seventh album from Robert Jon & The Wreck and they certainly aren’t getting staid and comfortable in their old age. This album has production by Don Was, Dave Cobb and Kevin Shirley, along with guitar virtuosos Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith. Altogether, it’s made for one of the most fluent and complete Classic Rock albums I’ve heard this year.

The thing I like about Robert Jon & The Wreck is that they are reviving the Classic Rock American form without sounding derivative or copying their heroes, just creating their own music at once familiar and fresh.

The album is full of variety, a real chocolate box of power, ballads and anthems, all fronted by Robert Jon’s throaty Southern vocals. Henry James Schneekluth plays some wonderful lead guitar lines and newcomer Jake Abernathie plays some stirring Hammond & keys. Rhythm section Warren Murrel (Bass guitar) and Andrew Espantman (Drums, backing vocals) lay down a solid bedrock for the band.

Personal favourites are the rocking ‘One Of A Kind’ with power slide from Henry James and the mellow ‘Who Can You Love’ which shows that Robert Jon has a softer side to his voice as well as the belter.

Opener ‘Pain No More’ has a big and powerful sound as well as a killer riff that holds the song together brilliantly.

The title track brings in all the different capabilities of the band and makes for a great closer to the album. A really joyous number.