Glam, Teeny, Flash and Sporty, or WIG WAM, the Norwegian kings of Glam Rock, return with their fourth album “Wall Street”, and I have to say straight from the off, ‘Wig Wamania’ it is not!
Previous album ‘Non Stop Rock’n’Roll’ saw the band beginning to move slightly away from the cheesy glam-style lyrics with a more mature outlook, and “Wall Street” continues in the same way. First two tracks “Wall Street” and “OMG! (Wish I Had A Gun)” are the perfect examples of the newer style; they still have the huge melodies and choruses of old, but there’s just a more cultured approach in the arrangements and lyrics. “Victory Is Sweet” is easily the most sophisticated Wig Wam tune to date, a dramatic and theatrical slow-burner with a huge arrangement, and excellent guitar work from Teeny.
But then it’s followed by “The Bigger The Better”, which is the only real throwback to the first album, as it’s a bubblegum pop-rocker with a drum-machine beat, replete with just a hint of Def Leppard.
However, “Bleeding Daylight” re-dresses the balance, it’s probably the hardest rocker of the disc, and probably the most contemporary sounding too, with it’s sturdy riffs and solos that you will have the honor to enjoy.
“Tides Will Turn” is the sole ballad of the album, a wonderful piano-led emotional piece that Glam excels at, and it’s complete with another fine Teeny guitar solo.
“One Million Enemies” is worthy of a mention simply because it seems to be played on a Casio keyboard – it’s a random sound of ’80s synth that is a strange addition to a pretty good song, which features a killer guitar lick, slamming bass and electronics thrown into the mix. It rocks hard with a fantastic groove that drops you into an anthem of a chorus.
“Natural High” gets back to the acoustic-driven typical commercial melodic pop rock of Wig Wam, a catchy track with a hit smell.
Guitarist Teeny (Trond Holter) gets his instrumental in at the end with Things Money Can’t Buy, the perfect antithesis to the title cut.
Bonus Track “School’s Out” is… yes a cover of Alice Cooper’s classic, and a great one, faithful to the original but with the ‘special’ Wig Wam treatment.
Wig Wam prove throughout “Wall Street” that they have the ideas, sound, lyrics, production and ability to be more than just a big band in Norway, and that they should appeal to anyone who likes the lighter, more considered, melodic rock side of glam.
This is a hard rock album that grows with each listening and Wig Wam is a band that stepped up one or two rock divisions with this recording.
The development continues for these Norwegian guys and the peak of the curve seems to only rise and rise.
Highly Recommended.
01 – Wall Street
02 – OMG! (Wish I Had A Gun)
03 – Victory Is Sweet
04 – The Bigger The Better
05 – Bleeding Daylight
06 – Tides Will Turn
07 – Wrong Can Feel So Right
08 – One Million Enemies
09 – Try My Body On
10 – Natural High
11 – Things Money Can’t Buy
12 – School’s Out (Bonus Track)
Glam (Åge Sten Nilsen) — vocals
Teeny (Trond Holter) — guitars
Flash (Bernt Jansen) — bass
Sporty (Øystein Andersen) — drums
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