Philip Sayce is probably the hardest playing Bluesman on the scene today. Seeing him live is a physical experience as his sound batters you against the back walls. But there is also a marvellous sense of groove and even funk to his sound that will have you dancing around the room.
The lineup on ‘The Wolves Are Coming’ sees Sayce, who provided the vocals, guitars, bass, and piano, Michael Leasure on drums (Walter Trout, Edgar Winter), Fred Mandel (Queen, Supertramp, Elton John) on keyboards and piano, Bernie Barlow (The Moody Blues, Melissa Etheridge) on background vocals, and Aaron Sterling on drums (John Mayer, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift).
It is really all I would expect from a Philip Sayce album. A number of tracks that impress with sheer power, some surprising soulful playing and singing and some great soloing.
Opening number ‘Oh That Bitches Brew’ is a perfect example of the power and adds a surprisingly psychedelic tone to the track. Fast and massive, stunning guitar lines. “The song came together quite quickly one evening,” recalls Philip. “I was sitting on the couch and started playing the riff that became the song’s main riff. I dug it and thought, ‘What am I going to say about this? Oh, I know, I remember that time someone gave me a drink at a party called “The Bitches Brew”, and it totally fucked me up.’ And that’s what the song became. It came together in about ten minutes.”
‘Lady Love Divine’ cuts back a little on the power but adds a fabulous groove. Philip states, "It's a funky, upbeat song about that feeling you get when you instantly fall in love with someone forever. Finding the courage to talk to this person and win their love. The song represents a bridge — a connection between despair and hope — that invites broken spirits to be transformed and healed."
It’s probably his most coherent and considered album yet. He sounds as though he is enjoying the hell out of the music he is making and certainly the music shows a maturity he has been short of in the past. Says Philip. “It’s a personal journey and a diary. These new songs and recordings became a lifeline to me during the pandemic and illustrate some of the highs and lows I have been navigating since releasing Spirit Rising in 2020. The Wolves Are Coming was created during the bleakest of times, not knowing if I would ever release these songs, or what being a musician and artist would look like moving forward.”
