ROBERT JON & THE WRECK : GLORY BOUND

1. The Devil Is Your Only Friend
2. Blame It On The Whiskey
3. When I Die
4. Mary Anne
5. Cold Night
6. Steppin'
7. Georgia Mud
8. Let Her Go
9. Glory Bound
10. Gypsy Of Love

Label : Spitfire Music Group L.A.

Release Date : February 24, 2015

Length : 44:27

Review (Blues Rock Review) : Glory Bound is the latest effort from Robert Jon and the Wreck, which follows up 2013’s EP, Rhythm of the Road. One thing is clear after taking Glory Bound for a spin, Robert Jon and the Wreck is a group to watch on the blues rock scene. The album opens with “The Devil Is Your Only Friend,” and it’s obvious Robert Jon and the Wreck have the southern blues rock sound down pat. The group’s sound is similar to that of the Temperance Movement, which is definitely a good thing. Glory Bound is filled with catchy hooks, melodies, and memorable choruses. Such is in the case with tracks like “When I Die” and “Georgia Mud.” “Georgia Mud” was featured on Rhythm of the Road, but was re-recorded for Glory Bound. The track features a killer opening riff, which will make the listener crank up the volume. The title track is another standout, “So lay your burdens down, watch the world keep turning ’round, so lay your burdens down, and we’ll be glory bound,” sings Robert Jon, which is capped off by some tasty slide playing. While the year is still young, Glory Bound may end up as one of the year’s best albums. The album has it all with great variety in the songs and excellent musicianship. This is is band that deserves more exposure and attention, so jump on the train now because Robert Jon and the Wreck are coming down the tracks.

Review (Blues Magazine) : De recensies van onze buitenlandse collega’s liegen er niet om en stellen met zijn allen vast dat Robert Jon & the Wreck een grote hit kan worden. En dat voor een Southern rockband. De vijf stoere mannen op het albumhoesje van Glory Bound verraden gelijk waar Abraham de mosterd vandaan haalt. Vanuit een zonnig Californië halen ze het beste van het Southern Rock genre naar boven en brengen dit met veel passie en gedrevenheid ten uitvoering, of zoals ze zelf op hun website vermelden: ‘Taking the southern rock sound established on the east coast and bringing it to the West Coast live with three simple words…. Music, Miles and Whiskey.’ Deze mannen zijn eigenlijk nog maar net begonnen, in 2013, en scoorden gelijk goed met hun EP Rhytm Of The Road die net als Glory Bound is geproduceerd door Warren Huart die we kennen van Aerosmith. Veel optredens door Amerika met hun eigen opgezette tour en een bijdrage mogen leveren aan het SXSW-festival. In 2013 dan ook al direct uitgeroepen worden als Best Live Band tijdens de Orange Music County Awards kan het eigenlijk al niet meer stuk. In de zomer van 2014 is Glory Bound nagenoeg live opgenomen in de befaamde Sunset Sound Studios. Robert Jon & the Wreck - Gypsy of Love (Official Live Video) Albumopener The Devil Is Your Only Friend knalt binnen en allerlei invloeden van Allman Brothers maar ook Led Zeppelin en vooral Rival Sons stromen je huiskamer binnen. Denderende gitaren, beukende drums en mooie harmonieuze samenzang. Met opvolger Blame It On The Whiskey wordt deze mix van countryrock en Southernrock met blueselementen lekker doorgetrokken. De vergelijking met Blackberry Smoke is makkelijk te maken, dit nummer had zo op hun laatste album kunnen staan. Ook When I Die gaat in dezelfde stijl door; een rustige opening en ruige afsluiting. Pas bij het nummer Mary Anne wordt de voet van het pedaal afgehaald en wordt plaatsgemaakt voor één van de beste Southern rockballads van het jaar. Cold Night zet de huiskamer weer op zijn kop met knallende Southern rock. Ook de nummers Steppin’ en Georgia Mud hebben wederom de harmonieuze samenzang en snerpende gitaren in zich. Lekker rauw gespeeld. Nog een rustmoment met Let Her Go en het titelnummer Glory Bound en vervolgens met Gypsy Of Love een waardige afsluiter volledig in stijl van dit mooie debuutalbum van Robert Jon. Met dit radiovriendelijke doch prima debuutalbum zal Amerika waarschijnlijk plat gaan. Dit voorjaar is ook Europa aan de beurt. Helaas moet Nederland de kat uit de boom kijken hoe ze in het bij de buren in Duitsland en België doen. Hopelijk is er nog een plekje op het affiche voor een goed nazomerfestival.

Review (OC Weekly) : Robert Jon & The Wreck have always bucked Orange County's surf and punk sounds for gritty, Southern-style rock and roll. The group's official full-length album, Glory Bound, debuts on Tuesday and reveals rowdy jams and resonating hooks that are worthy of Southern praise and festival stages alike. The album is the catalyst for an upcoming European tour, and was recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood with Aerosmith producer, Warren Huart. Robert Jon & The Wreck will hit The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa on Saturday night for the album release party, with support from fellow local acts Big Monsta and Sir Madam. The overseas tour is a welcome adventure into new territory for the Orange County based rockers, who have performed their anthemic rock tunes across the U.S. The whirlwind tour kicks off in March, hitting 26 cities throughout Europe in a tight 30-day time frame. “At this point, we're just making sure everyone has their passports,” guitarist Kris Butcher says with a chuckle. “All the hard work's done, now we just have to get on the plane and go.” One of the most surprising aspects of Glory Bound is the fact that it was recorded in one day. Under the direction of Huart, who produced the group's EP Rhythm of The Road, the band managed to lay down 10 tracks in less than 24 hours. The session took place in between tours, and RJ&TW share that they were more than happy to reunite with the lauded producer. The recording session not only strengthened the group's relationship with Huart, it also caught the attention of producer Jack Douglas whose work includes credit on John Lennon's “Imagine.” “[Douglas] works closely with our producer, and he was there when we were catching up with him. [Douglas] pulled us aside and said something along the lines of 'You guys are crazy,'” lead singer Robert Jon Burrison shares. Butcher adds with a smile, “The guy who worked on Imagine had something to say about our session–no big deal.” The session resulted in Glory Bound, whose sound is rounded out by keyboardist Steve Maggiora, bassist Nick Phakpiseth, and drummer Andrew Espantman. The album has a handful of standout tracks, including the radio-ready crossover track “Cold Night” that could easily find its way onto the country charts. “Let Her Go” builds on darker, Southern rock roots and should resonate with anyone who has washed down a past love with a bottle of whiskey. Another highlight on the album is “Mary Anne,” a song Butcher reprised from his former band, Nicole Vaughn and Her Lovely Things. Vaughn makes a guest appearance for the revived tune, where she and Burrison lament of love lost. The duet reveals an unexpected tenderheartedness that gives Glory Bound depth and grace. “I wrote that song when I was in a band with Nicole, and we used to play it a lot,” says Butcher. “We didn't really do anything with it back then, so I had it in my back pocket and showed it to the guys and they said, let's do it. I think it came out amazing.” Overall, the album is an enticing effort that's tailor-made for road trips with the top down. Given the band's engaging and energetic live shows, the upcoming European tour and new album have the potential to propel the band onto a much broader platform -which is something that Robert Jon and his Wreck are ready for. “This is the album we want everyone to hear, our heart and souls are on there,” says Burrison. “We think this album is good enough to push us to places we haven't been before, and we're ready to jump.”