Album Review: Dewolff - Dewolff IV

Despite kicking around their native Netherlands and impressing European audiences since 2007, Dewolff never really made much of a ripple Down Under. Given the waning popularity of blues rock, that's unlikely to change in the near future, which is a shame because this young three-piece really know how to unleash.

Predominantly driven by guitar, drums and keyboards, these 11 songs play through like a jukebox of modern blues rock revival classics. There's the energetic singalong of Voodoo Mademoiselle, the rollicking carnival blues of Crumbling Heart and stripped-back acoustic balladry of Northbound – the tropes are all present and accounted for. The fact that they're all done so damn well is what saves them.

If we still spoke of albums in terms of sides, side B of Dewolff IV would be taken up with the 20-minute A Mind Slip suite; broken up into five tracks, the band really get to explore their space rock influences here. The restriction of being a three-piece playing expansive, progressive psychedelic rock pays off in droves for the group – especially on this suite. Fuzzy guitars and sustained keyboard tones fill the blank space usually reserved for more instruments.

Dewolff IV is a little late on the blues rock revival punters seemed to fawn over in the mid-2000s, but the psychedelic and space rock influences the band bring to the table give the record a new sense of purpose. Disappointingly under-acknowledged in the wider musical sphere, this record is proof that Dewollf are one of the more interesting bands to spring from the post-White Stripes boom, even if it's all relatively safe.