The Wildcards

Listen to the entertaining lyrics or just let yourself go to their urgently-swinging, amazingly-accomplished and undeniably-cool blend of jazz, jump jive, blues and rockabilly, given a wickedly ‘voodoo’ edge with Louisiana and Caribbean influences bubbling up all over, and you can’t fail to be bowled over by its startling originality. This well-recorded CD (a worthy successor to fine 2004 debut “On Fire”) captures their thrilling many-layered live sound so well that new delights emerge with every playing and you get the feeling it’s never going to be far from your record player.

Their impeccably empathetic playing is enhanced by great arrangements and a unifying concept feel symbolised by the eerie cover drawing of four leering skeletons playing instruments atop an old-style hearse providing fair warning of the dark delights within. At the album’s greasy heart lies a magnificently woozy version of the blues standard ‘St James Infirmary’ with an electrifying half-way lurch into a musical mayhem worthy of Screaming Jay Hawkins or Louis Jordan. Yes, it’s that good.
With a striking air of brooding menace, lots of dark humour and an entertaining musical and lyrical wit way beyond most bands, the Wildcards are surely poised on the edge of real acclaim. Listen to the sophisticated calypso and Latin touches on the Squirrel Nut Zippers’ ‘Hell’, the deliriously carnivalesque version of Louis Jordan’s ‘Run Joe’, the scarifying ‘Hoodoo Preacher’ (composed by harmonica-player Gary Primich, with whom they toured last year), and the suitably staggery rhythms of the band original ‘Drunk’. There isn’t a weak track on the album, their own material easily matching their well-chosen covers, though they may have saved the best till last with the epic Vince Lee original ‘Hard Luck Tale’, featuring eerie keyboards from guest Paul Harris. A class act.
Dave Kingsbury - Writer for Blues Matters, Blues In Britain.
THE NEW ALBUM RAISING HELL

THE CLASSIC DEBUT ALBUM ON FIRE!
BUY NOW EXCLUSIVELY FROM ROOTSCD.COM
Track Listing
1. Look What You've Done To Me
2. Happy Hour
3. A Little Mixed Up
4. Can't Keep From Doing Wrong
5. How Do You Feel
6. Change Your Way Of Loving
7. Caravan
8. I'm In A Lowdown Groove
9. Deep Six Boogie
10. Terra Mae
11. I'm On Fire
Total Playing Time: 44.30
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BIOGRAPHY The Wildcards – Biography 2009-2010
“This is one damn fine band who are one of the most exciting live acts around in any genre”. Plymouth Evening Herald, UK
When you look at how the press describes the music of English band The Wildcards, it’s clear to see that conventional pigeonholing could be a pointless exercise.
As one reviewer put it, “..It’s all there: deep blues, swing, punk, New Orleans rumba-style backbone-wobblers, savage rock-a-billy, plus any other hip style from the last seventy years you care to mention. But this is no reverent heritage band – they have the originality of a new Stones or Led Zep and the attack of early Dr Feelgood, along with better taste and musicianship than any of those bands. I really can’t recommend them highly enough" Bluematters magazine, UK
“A startlingly original roots act”…“Poised on the edge of real acclaim”…, the band’s fast growing fanbase wouldn’t argue with any of that, but this is not just PR fluff: they know that the band’s real strength lies in the very real, jaw-dropping, intense, high-energy live performances given every single time by vocalist and guitarist Vince Lee, guitarist – Martin Vowles, bass player – Al Wallis and drummer Kevin Crowe.
The Wildcards were formed in 2003, a coming together of 4 talented and experienced West-Country musicians who had previously toured in over 20 countries with the widely popular bands The Nightporters and Vince Lee’s Big Combo. Heavily immersed in obscure blues, jazz, rockabilly, ska, punk and musical weirdness, The Wildcards have distilled their sound into a spicy, dark, delicious gumbo that they really can call their own. Blues In Britain magazine called it “Musical mayhem worthy of Screaming Jay Hawkins or Louis Jordan…yes, it’s that good!”
Since they first hit the live scene in 2004 The Wildcards have been in demand at some of the finest clubs and festivals across Europe. During 2008-09 their appearances have mainly been in Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. They were personally invited to warm up the crowds on the European leg of the tour by the legendary American blues act The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and every night they were a very hard act for the headliners to follow! The band will ease any home-sick feelings by concentrating on U.K. shows during 2010 to coincide with the release of their third album, scheduled for release early that year. “It’s the strongest material we’ve ever written and once again we’ve found new interesting places to take the music and still make it our own, we can’t wait for people to hear it” says guitarist Martin Vowles.
The Wildcards have released two critically acclaimed studio albums – On Fire (2004) and Raising Hell (2007) and recorded live sessions for BBC Radio 2. Both albums showcase the band’s fascinating, original approach to blues-tinged roots music, with entertaining lyrics and amazingly accomplished tunes. The albums have picked up lots of airplay from Helsinki to California and featured high in the reader polls of respected roots magazines.
"Rocka-punkabilly-power-swing-blues!"
Jefferson magazine, Denmark
"The Wildcards cannot be put in a hole! Blues, rhythm & blues, jazz, rock, rockabilly, gothic, jump, big band, punk are just some of their influences. Pour all ingredients in a shaker or tumbler, firmly shake and mix well and the result is the delicious Wildcards sound, raw, to the point, irresistible, amazing, but perfectly timed. Played with an 'it's only rock & roll' attitude, but with much skill and ingenuity".
Rootsville e-zine, Belgium
"...This is a band with the individual skills and collective creativity to take blues / roots music to a new higher level. There isn't a better backline in Britain and you'll not hear better guitar interplay than that achieved by Martin and Vince, a great platform for the latter to show his world-class playing and singing. I think of The Wildcards as a fusion of the best of American and British styles: a robust blend of West-Coast rhythms, Mississippi deep blues, cool jazz and that heady Gene Vincent rockabilly thing. It's not only artistically satisfying, it's pretty darned exciting to listen to!"
Blues In Britain magazine, UK
The Wildcards are...
Vince Lee - Vocals, Guitars
Martin Vowles - Guitars, Vocals
Al Wallis - Basses, Backing Vocals
Kevin Crowe - Drums, Backing Vocals