I had the top albums for the year all figured out and I was happy about my selections but I’ve played this album so many times. Joey Kneiser messed up my favourite playlists by releasing this beauty of an album late in the year. The Wildness is a great album filled with soulful southern rock’n’roll. Equally magnificent as anything Glossary has put out and that’s a really lot said. Little pieces of Petty, Young, Morrison, Blue Mountain, and Springsteen all balled up into an alternative Country/Americana masterpiece. Like Nick Green said, this will leave everything in its path sitting with a big fat grin.
The songs that make up “The Wildness” hearken back to Kneiser’s musical first loves. Bruce Springsteen, The Replacements, The Band, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Van Morrison all make their influence known on the record. “I wanted to make something simple and classic sounding with the writing as the centerpiece.” The record goes from rock and roll driven barn burners like “Run Like Hell” and “The Heart Ever Breaking” to folk songs like “Heaven Only Wants Us Once We’re Dead” and “Every Port In The Storm.” As to the overall vision for the record, Kneiser says, “These songs are a love letter to rock and roll and to the person closest to you who lets you pursue it.”
In addition to his own music, Kneiser has produced and recorded records for numerous artists, including Austin Lucas and Wooden Wand. He has also made music videos for artists like John Moreland and Jason Isbell.
The Fat Angel Sings 