Wayward Sons — The Truth Ain’t What It Used to Be (Oct. 11, 2019)
→ Má to podobu autobiografické kapitoly mého života jako teenagera, vyrůstajícího v mizerné střední škole v North Yorkshire. Rozhodně se to ozývá a je možná doprovodným dílkem songu „Feel Good Hit“, protože mluví o stejném období — vyrůstajícím v temných letech vlády Margaret Thatcher a útlaku, který jsem cítil. Je celkem pochopitelné, že jsem se toho dotkl již v písni „Small Talk“ (2:55) prvního alba W.S. — „Ghosts Of Yet To Come“ (15 Sept. 2017). Myslím, že to bude cracker live! [Toby Jepson]... A já jen dodávám: Toby Jepson a Rob Town nedávno založili nový podnik na podporu růstu mladých kapel. Jde o zachycení tohoto okamžiku ‚žárovky pro hudbu‘..., (viz níže odkaz, mæstro).
Birth name: Toby Matthew Jepson
Born: 9 October 1967
Origin: Scarborough, England
Location: United Kingdom
Album release: October 11, 2019
Record Label: Frontiers Records
Duration: 47:44
Tracks:
01 Any Other Way 3:23
02 As Black As Sin 2:43
03 Joke’s on You 3:57
04 Little White Lies 4:19
05 Feel Good Hit 3:34
06 Fade Away 4:13
07 Have It Your Own Way 3:41
08 Long Line of Pretenders 3:35
09 (If Only) God Was Real 3:20
10 The Truth Ain’t What It Used to Be 3:31
11 Punchline 3:30
12 Us Against the World 4:11
13 Totally Screwed (Hidden Track) 3:52
Personnel:
Wayward Sons crew includes:
→ Toby Jepson, Vocals/Guitar (Gun, Fastway, Little Angels),
→ bassist Nic Wastell (Chrome Molly),
→ drummer Phil Martini (Joe Elliott),
→ guitarist Sam Wood (Treason Kings), and
→ keyboardist Dave Kemp (Little Angels).
Review
By Mike O’Cull
→ British rockers, Wayward Sons bring it all and then some on the band’s new effort The Truth Ain’t What It Used To Be, out October 11, 2019 on Frontiers Music SRL. The album is a reminder of everything that’s great about playing and listening to real rock music that’s smart, well played, and hits like a kick in the teeth. Led by former Little Angels vocalist and guitarist Toby Jepson, Wayward Sons makes modern rock and roll that proudly wears its 70s and 80s hero worship on its sleeve and is worthy of standing alongside the finest artists of those glorious days.
→ The current Wayward Sons crew includes Jepson, bassist Nic Wastell (Chrome Molly), drummer Phil Martini (Joe Elliott), guitarist Sam Wood (Treason Kings), and keyboardist Dave Kemp (Little Angels). The band toured relentlessly in support of its first album Ghosts Of Yet To Come and the unending grind turned the group into a muscled~up, cohesive unit. The Sons opened for Saxon, Inglorious, Steel Panther, Living Colour, and UFO, appeared at festivals like Download and Ramblin’ Man Fair, and rocked their own headline shows. Now, instead of succumbing to the dreaded Sophomore Slump, Wayward Sons returns to the scene with The Truth Ain’t What It Used To Be, a career-making effort capable of shaking some hope and life into a world that desperately needs both.
→ The Truth Ain’t What It Used To Be comes out punching hard from the start with the full~tilt “Any Other Way,” a gritty guitar and drum rave~up with a towering vocal hook in the chorus. It’s a good, strong rock song that perfectly sets the mood for everything that follows it. “As Black As Sin” continues the high~energy rock mood and draws more and more of your attention to Toby Jepson’s vocals. Jepson is a vocalist not to be trifled with and possesses the power, tone, and presence of a modern Freddie Mercury. His voice cuts through the mix in the same way Mercury’s did, which is nothing but natural talent on display. Jepson is bold and expressive and he and this band unquestionably demonstrate the wattage required to conquer a stadium crowd.
→ The best thing about The Truth Ain’t What It Used To Be is that the songs keep getting better the deeper you go into the record. “Joke’s On You” is a boisterous and melodic kiss~off song that starts to bring the pop side of the Wayward Sons into play. Happily, the band is able to rock hard and write melodies in equal measure and the balance struck between the two vibes is what elevates Wayward Sons above the bulk of its peers. “Feel Good Hit” is fist~pumping modern rock that’ll blow your hair back and gives Jepson a chance to go all~out vocally over fierce, distorted guitars.
→ “Long Line Of Pretenders” is a superbly~done rock song that’ll give you an idea of what Queen might have sounded like doing an early Billy Joel number. The harmonized lead guitar parts in the intro give it an instant bit of sophistication and the band does a lot with the often~forgotten combination of electric guitars and acoustic piano. “(If Only) God Was Real” is strong social commentary covered in crushing guitars that holds nothing back in its critique of organized religion. It takes a hardline stance that’ll surely ruffle some feathers but that’s just rock and roll, isn’t it? If you don’t want to be challenged, don’t listen.
→ The title song, “The Truth Ain’t What It Used To Be,” doesn’t appear until near the end of the album and drops more beautifully harmonized guitars and more commentary, this time about living in a post~truth world where you can’t tell if you’re peeling an apple or an onion. Jepson isn’t shy about taking on hot~button topics in his lyrics and it adds a sense of relevance to the entire record. Also, be sure to hang out past the final song for the super~secret hidden track “Totally Screwed” that only hardcore fans are supposed to know about. Wayward Sons makes true rock magic on The Truth Ain’t What It Used To Be and, if you have any sense at all, you’re going to want to get in on it.
→ https://www.rockandbluesmuse.com/
Also:
By Toby Jepson (Classic Rock)
→ https://www.loudersound.com/features/toby-jepsons-track-by-track-guide-to-wayward-sons-the-truth-aint-what-it-used-to-be
Editorial Reviews
→ The return of former Little Angels singer Toby Jepson with Wayward Sons in 2017 was a great event in the British hard rock music scene. After the overwhelming success of Little Angels, including a number one album, millions of records sold, massive sell out shows and numerous hit singles, Toby has been busy these past years with movie work, performing with Fastway, Gun, and Dio s Disciples, and producing albums for numerous bands (Saxon, Fastway, The Virginmarys, Toseland, and more). His heart however, was always in writing and performing and so the concept of Wayward Sons was born a new band, built for playing live. A new direction with Toby s songs taking centre stage and the debut album Ghosts Of Yet To Come was greeted with outstanding critical acclaim and earned the band the title of “Best New Band” at the Planet Rock Awards in 2018. Look for the band to continue their relentless breakneck touring in support of The Truth Ain t What It Used To Be , a foot stomping, fist raising, rock ’n roll album.
Review
→ Bringing this album to a close is “Us Against The World”. Like many of the tracks on the album you can hear the influences they have pulled from yesteryear, whether it be Queen, Bowie, Elvis Costello or any of those other greats. Some bands would just love to write one song of this quality but Toby and his band of Wayward Sons have written a whole album of them. Each track is equally different but equally appealing. Just compare this last track to it’s predecessor and you will know what I mean.
Just when you think that is it, the album runs silently on and you get a gem of a hidden track called “Totally Screwed”. Whatever you do don’t miss this as it has a real jump up and down beat to it. It is an angry sing~a~long party number full of angst fuelled lyrics with an sort of punk influenced chant at the end that brings the album to a climatic finish.
→ The Truth Ain’t What It Used To Be is just one complete album of killer tracks. It is full of song writing of the highest calibre and really captures the feel and energy of the band perfectly. I know the band are proud of this album and quite rightly so. Ghost laid the foundations for them and Truth has built on those foundations in quite spectacular fashion. Go out and buy this album on release date if you haven’t already pre~ordered it otherwise you will be missing out on one of the best albums of 2019 and then the Joke really is on you! (excerpt)
→ https://metalplanetmusic.com/2019/10/album-review-wayward-sons-the-truth-aint-what-it-used-to-be/
Website: https://www.waywardsonsband.com/site/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/waywardsonsbanduk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/waywardsonsband
Interview: https://greatmusicstories.com/2018/07/26/feature-interview-toby-jepson-lightning-in-a-bottle/