Robert Jon & The Wreck — Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes (Journeyman Records)
It’s little over a year since some of the hardest working men in roots music released Red Moon Rising.
A ‘thunderous, whiskey-soaked ride that straddles classic rock, blues and a touch of country grit’ landed inside our Top 10 Blues Albums of 2024.
And since then, a slew of richly entertaining singles have maintained the momentum and reinforced a platinum-plated reputation.
No fewer than six tracks from Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes have teased the band’s brand new album.
In fact, it feels like we’ve been living with this record for some time now.
They say familiarity breeds contempt. Not here.
Knowing that you’re about to break the seal on a body of work that’s already bursting with bona fide modern-day classics is a comfort.
Quality’s guaranteed. Kick-ass authenticity and an effortlessly cool songwriting craft underpin 10 songs that wrestle with the emotions and wring out every last drop of spine-tingling resonance.
Robert Jon and his Wreck might be based in Los Angeles.
But they speak to their working class brethren in every corner of the world with music that feeds the soul and sparks much-needed optimism.
With Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Rival Sons) helming the whole thing, this outstanding album represents a spectacular growth spurt.
Robert Jon & The Wreck have never been more ready to rewrite the rock and roll rulebook.
Wreck reveals Southern rock treasure
Where to start with a bunch of tunes that bring out the very best in this band of slow burning brothers?
Well, it’s something Robert Jon’s clearly been mulling over.
Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes is built around a reassuringly old school blueprint with five songs each side.
And if the scattergun approach to releasing single after single reflects a keen understanding of a consumer market suffering from a serious attention deficit then the finished album is one for the track list observant traditionalist.
In which case it’s only fair to start at the beginning.
And Sittin’ Pretty says it best of all. That’s right where Robert and his buddies are positioned thanks to their best album to date.
Like most of the songs here, the strident opener is a Southern-imbibed celebration of retro refreshment.
Best enjoyed with a Bud Lite — or a shot of Bourbon if it’s one of those days — Sittin’ Pretty’s the Wreck at their beautiful best.
That Side A wraps with the Skynyrd-heavy Dark Angel’s a smart move. The pace, the riff, the passion: it’s the perfect pre-flip banger.
There’s an argument for claiming Side B has the better of this flawless record.
Better Of Me and the reflective title track are two of the finest songs Robert Jon and his buddies have written and Cobb’s clearly worked his magic bringing out the best in both.
Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes waves farewell to the past and points to a glittering future.
