Juno and the Wolf is a deceptively cute name for an eclectic band whose music verges from the wickedness of old-school rock to psychedelia and post-rock.
I picked up their eponymous EP not quite sure what to expect, but as soon as I heard the intro riff to the first track, Why So Suicide?, I was immediately taken on a sound journey back to real, honest-to-goodness rock.
Only good things could follow and happily I was right.
The intro track delivers on the promise made by its rather rock ’n’ roll name. The bass kicks in almost immediately to become a continuous riff, getting under your skin, occasionally punctuated by well-placed percussions. A guitar solo makes you thank the heavens that rock is still very much alive. The vocals merge perfectly into what can be considered a pretty wicked, classic rock tune. In short, this track screams ‘mosh pit’.
This band needs to get a move on and give us a full-blown album
The band’s distinctive style continues with the second track, Dumbrose, which kicks off with some pretty nifty guitar work and almost immediately explodes in a glorious explosion of percussions, the vocals seamlessly kicking in.
The tracks morphs into an instrumental piece that dabbles gloriously in the psychedelic, before coming back full circle to the potent bass and drums refrain.
The mood changes abruptly with the third track, Soul Deep, that – as its title may suggest – is less heavy on the moshing element and more focused on vocals and melody. The vocals are beautifully complemented by an insistent guitar and bass riff, occasionally veering into definite post-rock territory and very successfully too.
The song that carries my favourite name – Hipster Bitch, shock, horror! – is next, with another mellow offer that at first finds its roots in that distinctive indie sound before returning to a harder rock edge via some rather nifty bass work. The last track on the EP, Going to Crye, is the longest entry clocking in at over seven minutes and not one minute of these is wasted.
The intro is charmingly understated, all subtle percussions and unrushed bass and guitar work.The piece boasts exquisite arrangements and is the perfect showcase for the band’s prowess when it comes to musicianship.
My only complaint... This band needs to get a move on and give us a full-blown album.
Juno and the Wolf is Samwel Mallia on bass, vocals and guitar, Corey Farrugia on guitar, bass and vocals, James Azzopardi on guitar, bass and vocals and Kristian Schembri on drums and percussion.
http://junoandthewolf.bandcamp.com/releases