Hillbilly Speedball
CD RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2025
Tracks
1) Hillbilly Speedball
2) Beautiful Delilah
3) Coupla Good Moves
4) Sorrow
5) Kick Me WhenI'm Down
6) V-8 Ford Blues
7) Allergic To Love
8) Tell Mama
9) Puttin' On A Show
10) The Last Song (I'm Ever Gonna Sing)
Get it on Amazon or Apple Music
Line-up:
Webb Wilder – Lead Vocals, Guitars
George Bradfute- Guitars, Electric Bass, Various Noises, Stringed Instruments, Keyboard, Piano,
Rick Schell – Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Bob Williams – Pedal Steel Guitar, Mandolin, Dobro
Greg Morrow- Drums
Tom Comet- Electric Bass, backing vocals
Marshall Richardson- Drums, Bongos, Percussion
Bryan Owings- Drums
Landslide Records 2025
Overview:
Wilder wrote a handful of new songs for Hillbilly Speedball that mesh seamlessly with several obscure covers by his heroes. While not as nu-wavy/surfy/rockabilly-rich as his debut, the songs do echo those elements of his eccentric oeuvre. Generally, they’re just an accessible, toe-tappin’, finger-snappin’, head-shakin’ bundle of rock ‘n’ roll entertainment.
The album-opening title song reminds me of a late 90s Stephen Bruton rocker. It has the late, great Texan’s Faces-inspired, hook-filled, pop-leaning stamps all over it. Perhaps that’s because the song was penned by Wilder’s buddy—and Bruton’s buddy—David Grissom, the celebrated Texas guitar slinger who lends his perfectly thick riffing and a quick, screaming solo to it.
Beautiful Delilah,” a Chuck Berry B-side, becomes a Wilder A-lister here, the jaunty rocker irresistible for its quirky rhythm, fiery guitar and piano, and Wilder’s penetrating tenor reading of it in voice. “Coupla Good Moves,” with its dramatic dashes, also features Faces and Stones-styled riffing. Wilder began writing the song decades ago after having a conversation with the Georgia Satellites’ Dan Baird, so that makes sense. The beautiful and catchy “Sorrow,” with Vince Gill lending harmony vocals, could be a cross between Wilco, the Long Ryders, and England’s 1960s popsters, the Merseybeats. “V-8 Ford Blues” sounds exactly as it should, the ancient Willie Love and his Three Aces blues all ramshackle and cool.