For my choice this week, I have chosen an American Band from Charlottesville, Virginia. The band was founded by brothers Sam (guitar), Abe (keyboards), and James Wilson (lead vocals), bassist Seth Green, and drummer Todd Wellons. The band took their name from the Wilson brothers' father, Bill Wilson, a musician and professor of philosophical theology and southern Literature at the University of Virginia, where the band initially formed in 2005.
My introduction to them was back in 2009 when I encountered their second album, One Town Away, and I knew 'off the bat' they were my kind of band! I am always attracted to the sound of the lead singer when hearing a new artist/band, and James Wilson doesn't disappoint! In addition, the brothers’ harmonies are superb!
It wasn't long before we could see them live in Glasgow, and I have seen them on every subsequent visit. To date, they have released seven albums, including two live ones, and my choice comes from album number three, released in 2012, called Sirens.
The track opens the album and has a spoken introduction, which is a quote from William Cuthbert Faulkner (1897 - 1962), an American writer considered one of the most celebrated writers of American Literature and is often considered the greatest writers of Southern Literature!
Honestly, this band is one of my current favourites, and choosing a track was rather tricky. I could have picked three or four off this album alone! However, I settled on Santa Ana Winds because of its drive and rhythm, as well as the following lyrics:
There ain't no skatin' by
We're all gonna die
No matter what
The plastic surgeon told you
Great song, I will look these guys uo.