Single review: WALTER TROUT Feat: WILL WILDE – Bleed

Provogue Records [Release date 15.12.23]

Walter Trout’ New Year single called “Bleed” featuring British blues harp player Will Wilde, is an up tempo boogie shuffle with an uplifting message.

It’s an exhilarating taster of what we might expect from the ambivalently titled forthcoming album called “Broken”.

It’s been said that “Bleed” represents Trout’s first actual boogie song, though “Love So Deep” from “Go The Distance” and “Mayall’s Piano Boogie” from “The Blues Came Callin’” might suggest otherwise.

If Trout has consistently managed to search inside himself for new waves of emotional intensity down the years, this single does the same in terms of musical virtuosity.

Will Wilde’s presence also provides Trout with a fresh catalyst and also unusually pushes the latter into the unusual role of being a perfect foil for a harp player who forgoes tonal subtly for sheer power driven riffery.

It’s also a song with an empathetic vocal on a declarative narrative which makes the connection between overcoming a broken relationship and the need for emotional honesty and simply letting go: “But life is just a gamble, There ain’t nothing guaranteed, And to be prepared for love man, You got to be prepared to bleed.”

The two front line soloists serve the song well. Will Wilde’s incredible lung capacity squeezes every last breath out of his harp to suggest emotional turmoil.

Trout’s own resolution comes in the shape of a ripping solo that traces an arc of emotion, moving from a cry of despair to the joy of hope, with which this scorching single illuminates the darkest night.

The relentless drive of song is a result of real feel and perfect syncronicity to be found between the two outstanding players and Trout’s rocking band.

It takes the formidable presence of powerhouse drummer Michael Leasure’s punctuated drum roll to call time on the perfect rock-a-boogie single with which to start the New Year. ****

Review by Pete Feenstra

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