Secret Sessions
2006
Ed Wicks is one of the latest in a long line of bands that
have reintroduced Americans to the beauty of melodic
guitar rock. Ed Wicks takes rock 'n' roll to a smarter,
more interesting place than do most of today's bands.
Secret Sessions takes a sophisticated approach to
underground rock, mixing its raucous melodies with
ambient sounds and waves of energy. Opener "No Way
out", for instance, begins with Crarer’s dirty base line and
Hryciw strumming his guitar. After a brief intro, the Dick
Dale-style guitars crash, Hartman sings louder and the
music kicks into a truly propulsive groove.
Most of Secret Sessions bears a mild resemblance to
Broken Social Scene's more chaotic tunes, so it's no
surprise that Hartman’s show-stealing vocals featured
prominently on the wonderful “last call” dance rocker
"Run Away". Here, she proves herself to be amazingly
versatile and wickedly playful. Mike Hryciw’s guitar stays
perfectly in step, whether it's shaking in ecstatic fits or
slowly picking out a lead line.
Eventually, "TN Love Poem" brings Secret Sessions to a
turn to the West. After earning our attention with
unrelenting rock, Ed Wicks completely switch gears;
putting Hartman front and center over a bizarre, wandering
country infused line. It proves to be a perfect move; she
cuts through the Wild West fog with the album's best
melody line, about a Deliverance type family, singing:
“Suzie when to Mom a cryin’/ She new there weren’t no
others/ Cause’ all the boys she loved in town apparently
were her brothers/ Momma knew and said child just do
what makes you happy/ Marry Joe or marry Will/ you
ain’t no kin of Pappy."
Secret Sessions is full of longing, anger and emptiness.
Sex lies around every corner, and often bites them on the
ass, as it does in "Let It Go”'s: "When do you decide to
open up/ When do you decide to let it all go/ You know in
your heart it’ll burn, it’ll break you down/ But how do you
know when it’s worth it?" That hopelessness invariably
points to power struggles and feelings of helplessness --
familiar feelings, if not sources of particular pride. Ed
Wicks are fighting for their freedom, even as they ask
others to tie them down. Their struggle culminates in
“Passing By "'s childish plea: "Walkin’ down the street one
day/ I saw you passin’ by my place/ Blinked my eyes you
disappeared/ I could not say it face to face." Will we
all be in high school forever? The album cruises along and
things end up turning out alright in the musical explosion,
driven by Lago’s drumming, “Lick’n A Promice”’s feel good
vibe that states: “When we go/ We’re gonna go in style.”
Many bands may have shined in the past and Ed Wicks is
clearly ready to join in and make some noise of their
own. This album reminds us just how powerful rock 'n' roll
can be.
Craig Petroff
(Posted: Jun, 26 2006)