Wild As We Came Here (Big Ring, 2017)
The Steel Wheels
Reviewed by Lee Zimmerman
The songs are so consistently accessible that even a cursory listen strongly suggests further hearings will be in order, simply for the sake of appreciating the material to the maximum. The adroit skill and sensitivity evidenced in "Hold On," "Till No One Is Else," "Scrape Me Off the Ceiling," "Sing Me Like a Folk Song" and the title track may seem subdued at first, but as each track progresses, they work their way under the skin and refuse to loosen the grip. If nothing else, The Steel Wheels are masters of subtlety; they make no attempt to overwhelm or overindulge, but, rather, use their prowess and proficiency to leave an enduring impression.
Granted, The Steel Wheels haven't yet caught the attention shown the aforementioned contemporaries. Their subtle approach may be at least one reason; it's easily to grab audiences with a rowdy regimen and a flashier finesse. Still, "Wild As We Came Here" is an album well worthy of recognition, and in a world where glitz and glam tend to steal the spotlight, the "Wild" and the retrained seem solidly in sync.
CDs by The Steel Wheels
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