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Jay Stott Wreckage of Now Review by Gary Hill This isn't going to win any awards for being unique. What it does well, though, is create songs in familiar styles that are particularly effective. This music merges retro rock and roll, country and roots elements to build some tunes that feel classic and entertain. It's good time music. Sometimes that exactly fits the bill. This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) in Music Street Journal: 2020 Volume 5. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2020.

Track by Track Review

Wreckage of Now Roots rock and roll flavored with a lot of Americana is the concept at the heart of this. It reminds me a lot of "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" by The Georgia Satellites. There is some great slide guitar on the track.

All Night Long The organ on this tune lends some classy retro texture. The tune has more of that slide guitar based retro rocking texture. It's an energized and catchy song.

Desert Heat A mellower cut, I wouldn't quite call this a ballad. It's packed with a lot of country music. The female backing vocals are a great addition.

Can't Stop Love Country and rock merge well on this tune. There is some killer piano work on this number. It's a fun song and one of the highlights.

Electric Guy (In A Bluegrass Town) Opening with a full on country jam, this gets electrified after the intro. It really shows off the concept of the title nicely by combining an electric rocking concept along with some real bluegrass. This is another entertaining song that serves as a highlight. In fact, this might be my second favorite of the whole disc. I love the old school rock and roll guitar solo. In a great bookend effect, the bluegrass jamming returns at the end of the number.

Grain Belt Sign There is a bit more of a modern alternative rocking element here. While this still has plenty of retro Americana, it definitely feels more contemporary. It sort of falls mid-range in terms of rocking intensity.

Never Did Learn How to Dance Old school blues meets country rock and roll, this is fun, but not one of the standouts. It does have its charms, though.

One Drink Two Drink A high-energy stomper with accessible vocal hooks, this powerhouse is my favorite tune here. It's a bit more modern, but has plenty of old-school texture built into it. This just works so well. It's worth the price of admission all by itself.

Stuck in Love The slide guitar brings a lot of style to this cut. Beyond that it's a mellower folk meets country number. I love that slide guitar, but otherwise the song really doesn't grab me.

Dying in Droves While this tune gets more powered up as it approaches the end, the bulk of the song is a folk meets country ballad. It's a classy tune and makes for a good ending to the disc.

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