While thinner, auto-tuned vocals seem to be all the rage with modern vocalists, there are some still out reminding us a soulful Rock-n-Roll approach is the most moving. Among the select few thumbing their nose at trends, you have young ladies like JJ Wilde; letting the world know that she is not going anywhere anytime soon.
Out of Ontario, Canada, Wilde is a promising singer-songwriter who has slowly, but surely picked up steam in recent years. Signed on with indie Canadian label Black Box Records, in 2019 Wilde put out her debut EP Wilde Eyes, Steady Hands, featuring “The Rush.” Her first-ever single, “The Rush” reached #1 on Canada’s Modern Rock, Active Rock, and Mainstream Rock charts in May 2020, leading to the release of the debut full-length album Ruthless in June of that year. Finding more success, let us just say it Ruthless was an impressive collection of songs highlighted by the not-to-be-missed “Funeral For A Lover.” Grabbing attention, it won Rock Album of the Year at the 2021 Juno Awards; making Wilde the first lady to win this award in twenty-five long years!
Very promising beginnings, Wilde continued to move forward in 2021 with the stellar six-song EP Wilde, leading into the early 2024 EP, Best Part of Me (Part 1). The latter features a diverse mix of tracks, like “Arizona” and the seductive “Hands,” now on September 20th Wilde is set to unleash her sophomore album entitled Vices. Living up to the title of the record, Wilde gets quite personal with her latest songs that touch on love, heartbreak, and some of the dysfunctional behaviors we partake in because of them. Taking an approach that is sincere, what you get are songs that are not bitter nor playing the victim, but more ones that are a cathartic release after a rough time.
As The Main Ingredient’s 1972 classic song “Everybody Plays the Fool” proclaims, ‘there’s no exception to the rule,’ Wilde proves this in her candid approach to Vices. Here she thematically creates a series of songs that take you along her journey of loss, and doubt, but inevitably living through it all to find self-worth in the end. Done so with a very Blues aesthetic, Wilde bares her soul with arrangements that are Rock-n-Roll driven, yet not without some Pop tendencies. A really lovely blend that should appeal to Classic Rock, Modern Rock, and even Pop Rock listeners, Vices is a multidimensional mix from front to back.
Complete with ten tracks (five of which were on Best Part of Me (Part 1)), it is like a story unfolding where you experience the various emotions of dealing with yourself navigating through a bad stretch. As stated, very heartfelt, the boldest moments include tracks like “Arizona,” the catchy “Options” and “Toxic,” but also “Hands.” This is joined by the delightfully gruff vocal performance on “Say,” as well as the stripped-down “Perfect Stranger.” Looking at “Perfect Stranger” a bit closer for a moment, Wilde picks the track as Vices’ grand finale, and it works well. That stated, it should be acknowledged that songs like this, and the aforementioned “Funeral For a Lover,” are what truly separates Wilde from the oh-so-saturated modern scene.
Overall, Vices is yet another step forward for JJ Wilde that shows her dedication to songwriting and creating music that means something to her. No doubt a lady with a fire in her soul, those who are still not all too familiar, if you love Classic Rock sirens like Janis Joplin or Grace Slick, you are going to love JJ Wilde. That is why Cryptic Rock gives Vices 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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