“Well, that was not what I expected to hear.” That was my first thought as the brand new, self-titled LP from Fire and the Wheel started playing in my headphones. You are immediately pulled into layers upon layers of a wall of sound that marries an electronic rock groove with a bold trumpet declaration reminiscent somehow of an American western; an aura of Clint Eastwood, if you will.
And then, out of nowhere, the beat takes a groovy turn that makes you want to get up and dance and you’ve moved into the second track of the album without even noticing the change. This pattern continues, each song blending seamlessly into the next. To me, it’s very refreshing to hear an album written for listeners to digest as complete body of work in today’s world of iTunes singles.
The album is relentless and is meant to be listened to over and over, beginning to end. There’s a lot to appreciate in the musicianship and care that went into each of these songs. The influences on this record are many and I could try to list them all, but the truth is that as the record plays, instead of a particular artist, what you will hear is a homage soundtrack to many of the fundamental creations that have made rock music great for the last several decades. (With no shortage of epic drama, to be sure.)
To me, that’s exactly the spirit I would hope for from a band whose name reflects those fundamental inventions that first put humanity in place to take over the world with greatness. –Jarrett
Catch Fire and the Wheel live on Thursday 6/14 at the 18th Street Lounge @8 PM for DC Flag Day!