Beyond the usual Folk confines. Sharp contemporary songwriting.

12 MP3 Songs
FOLK: Fingerstyle, ROCK: Folk Rock

Details:
Here On This Frontline 2008

Every now and then something terrific this way comesâ¦. Wilkes is a major talent. Repeated plays of the record only strengthen that conviction. His songs are robustly crafted, he likes to defy convention and take risks with song structures. Great melodies are matched by sharply observed, intelligent lyrics and the albumâs freewheeling arrangements take the listener on journeys beyond the usual folk confinesâ¦. Wilkes has created his own sound, has his own angle and is very much his own man. Steeped in contemporary issues Here On This Frontline, like its creator, is hugely welcome.
Rock ânâ Reel Magazine

Time was when all singers at Soho folk hangouts owed debts to Woody Guthrie. Except Wilkes is of today and flavours his songs with French horns and bassoons. MOJO playlist Dec 2007 issue

Joe Wilkes is one of those all-too-rare musicians who, when they play, make you believe in them instantlyâ¦.The great beauty of Here On This Frontline is encapsulated perfectly by the title track, which paints an exotic musical backdrop in front of which is played a poignant love song, born out of tragedy. The whole thing is delivered with such delicacy that it canât fail to move even the most hardened of cynicsâ¦.Joe Wilkes doesnât patronize his audience or trivialize his music, this is a serious album that shines bright. Americana UK

Joe Wilkes faces the difficult âSecond Album Syndromeâ with a superb collection of songs. He has a drop dead gorgeous voice. Great stuff. Classic Rock Society

He is very much an emphatic writer. His great use of strings and accordion on the CD gives that soulful sympathetic feel to the songs. There is a great baroque style to some of the tracks. âGarden Of The Nightâ is a beautifully simple acoustic folk song, with some powerful and poetic lyrics. This is an absolutely beautiful and tragic depiction in words and musicâ¦. a folk rooted CD, but in the sense of the feeling portrayed throughout, it is Blues and very much a roots album in a modern presentation. Blues Matters

On arguably the best track, he sings If I Could Change Everything, I Wouldn't Change Anything. Which pretty much encapsulates how you should feel after listening to this. Net Rhythms

Contemporary folk isn't, as some would have you believe, just about diary singers with emotional baggage. The singer songwriting scene continues to produce new artists with a keen sense of observation and a desire to tackle issues through song without preaching. Joe Wilkes seems infused with a troubadour spirit. He blends his carefully chosen words into an Americana mix, that has more than a hint of Gaelic charm. FATEA

An aurally challenging collection - in verse and melodyâ¦utterly addictive. Folkwax

People who are interested in Bob Dylan Nick Drake John Martin should consider this download.