Month: August 2021

“With incendiary guitar chops and raw, powerful vocals, fiery Texas blues rocker Carolyn Wonderland  draws instant comparisons to fellow Texans Stevie Ray Vaughan and Janis Joplin.”  —NPR Music

On Tempting Fate, Wonderland delivers ten riveting songs, including five fiery originals (and one co-written with her Mayall bandmate Greg Rzab). The ex-lead guitarist in John Mayall’s Blues Breakers delivers an exuberant and astonishing collection of songs, deeply rooted, yet fired by a rocker’s sensibility.  The tracks pit brilliant originals with revelatory versions of songs by Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, John Mayall and Billy Joe Shaver, with sparks flying from Wonderland’s guitar and the undeniable soul in her voice.

“I can’t wait to share the new album,” says Wonderland. “I got to record a dream list of songs and play with a dream list of people. And Dave (producer Dave Alvin) really got me to kick the doors in.”

On his aptly-titled Provogue Records’ debut, ‘What Happens Next,’ out October 22^nd, roots singer-

songwriter and guitarist Davy Knowles boldly steps forward with timeless and cohesive songwriting; sleek modern production; and a lyrical, play-for-the-song guitar approach informed from soul, folk, rock, and blues.

“When it came time to record this album, it was all about supporting the songs as opposed to ‘how quickly I can get to the guitar solo’,” the Isle of Man-born, Chicago-based artist says laughing. “I’m not a purist, and the way for roots music to stay relevant is to adapt and progress.”

Despite the songs on ‘What Happens Next’ featuring concise lead guitar playing, fans of Knowles’s fleet-fingered lead style fear not for the blues-rock fire still burns inside him. Knowles says: “This album taught me about restraint in terms of guitar playing. I had to reign it in to let the songs breathe, but I am looking forward to reimagining them and stretching out when we play live.”