Phil Coyne and the Wayward Aces “Self Titled” (LP)

Phil Coyne is a breath of fresh in an era where there are many nostalgic knockoffs, but very few traditional wins. With his band The Wayward Aces, he’s able to craft a pitch-perfect Aussie blues record, but still injects an appropriate dose of originality into the mix. The result is something that almost feels like postmodernist alternative. Blues crossed with the rock-and-roll, singer-songwriter sensibilities calling to mind the likes of Bruce ‘The Boss’ Springsteen, Tutone JJ, and JJ Cale.

URL: https://www.waywardaces.com/

Coyne isn’t just interested in making slickly realized music in a popular music genre, he’s interested in actually giving the listener a full-on experience. The songs are best accompanied with sights from a roadtrip, preferably if possible within the confines of a convertible. It’s perfect for the iconic scene of wind in the hair, hands in the air, and driving over the speed limit. Coyne all but confirms this in an interview with Michael Limnios’ online publication. He stated that the band prides itself on chasing what it christens ‘the sound and fury of mid 50’s Chicago blues… concentrating on tone, timing, passion and potency. Not suitable for polite society, this is loud, brash Juke joint dancing blues.’

This is certainly reflected in the furious, fast pace of the tracks themselves. All of them are stories, boasting definitive, thematic beginnings, middles, and ends. It also conjures to mind a narrative, something genuinely transportive to an aesthetic that you can almost taste. A world comes to mind, steeped in the kind of neo-noir nostalgia of a John Hillcoat thriller, complete with that delicious, Melbourne touch devoid of the plasticky cynicism and overemphasis on packaging relentlessly pummeled throughout the American music markets.

Like any rising artist in the digital marketplace, Coyne is this intriguing hybrid of polished and twitchy. The website for The Wayward Aces is all about getting good algorithims, keeping everything presentationally snappy, to-the-point, and devoid of excesses. The guys are here to deliver the goods, and that’s that. Take, for instance, their bio – summarized in a mere three sentences: “Strap in for the tone and fury of mid 50’s Chicago blues. Phil Coyne and the Wayward Aces; bluesharp, guitar and rhythm taking no prisoners. Catch us live and discover for yourself why our EP blasted in at #10 on the ABRAC charts and were nominated for Band of the Year at the 2023 VicTas Blues Awards.”

In the same interview, Coyne doubles down on this deliberate, aesthetical paring down. It’s inspiring to see someone who sticks to his guns, never letting up and standing aside to pressure from the fast pace of the pop culture race. As far as Coyne seems to be concerned, if the schtick fits, it will acquit.

“The way we record is the truest to the way we play onstage; in one room, all at once. I always wanted to be in the band I wanted to see, and I always want to see a band having a good time. Its live music, that means we’ll do our best but, as an audience, you’ve gotta do your best; the more you enjoy, the more we’ll get amped and carry on,” he stated.

Mark Druery