Returning to the original seed of rock and roll, stemming from the pure roots of the blues, Jesse Redwing and his crew (Nick Meredith on drums, and Brendan Clark on bass) have been nurturing the souls of many at packed-out gigs around town as of late. The Sydney-based trio of blues hustlers are creating some contagious grooves, with a soft rock and roll edge that fuses together deep-rooted Chicago blues oracles such as Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters, with British rock mimics ala The Rolling Stones.
What is so refreshing about Jesse Redwing’s item is so very few contemporary artists are digging up a new flavour of the blues with much conviction – a genre that desperately needs the dust blown off it’s vinyl recordings and splashed out into the audio world once again. If you’re a fan of The Black Keys, you’ll muster an easy jam to this musical offering.
Digging up the deepest roots of rock ‘n’ roll, Jesse Redwing is a blues hero on Crawlin’ Up The Walls. Take us back to 1959 already.
While their discography only consists of a couple of single releases, the trio managed to score the support gig of Cold Chisel at their Hunter Valley show at Hope Estate last December, which pays respect to their live endowment.
Their recent drop Crawlin’ Up The Walls was mainly recorded live with fellow producer Stephen Mowat (Ali Barter, WILSN) at Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne. The song also features Oscar Dawson from Holy Holy sliding in on rhythm guitar. The foundation behind the jam begins with a simple catchy guitar riff based on a classic 12 bar blues progression wavering in and out of subdued, sensual bridges and steady rock climbs with guitar solos that are almost Hendrix-worth. Yet there remains a level of simplicity, re-emphasising a broad appeal with easy rhythms and authentic lyrics.
The meaning behind the tune can be loosely applied to anything mischievous – whether it is having a cheeky boogie at your local, or expressing your flirtatious frustrations with a love interest. “I got you stuck in my crawl / so fine I can’t ignore / believe me my heart is raw / waiting on your heart to call,” is just a taste of this.
The accompanying video watches Redwing doing what he does best, grooving it out to his own musical testaments. With a grainy film resolution that duplicates with the scratchy production true to the tracks’ early roots.
Crawlin’ Up The Walls will leave your musical libido yearning for more, which are currently in the process of being birthed in the form of an EP. To witness their masterful mischief on stage, which is an absolute must, you can catch the trio at some upcoming gigs:
Friday 22nd April- Yah Yah’s, Melbourne
Sunday 24th April- Brighton Up Bar, Sydney
