Second To None
[Brennus]

I've always wondered how the rest of the world views America's western movies and stories. Do they hold them with the same kind of reverence that I feel towards Japan's samurai-laden past? Well, I don't know about the entire world, but apparently a group of musicians from western France think America's western past is pretty cool. Not only did they call themselves Wild West, but they are simply drenched in that imagery. I was never big on westerns and I don't think cowboys are very cool, so I was surprised by how much I ended up liking this band.

Musically, you can expect a sort of glam-ish metallic rock that borrows heavily from the late 80's. The first comparison that comes to mind is Jackyl, though Wild West definitely have their own feel. This is just really fun hard rock. I think the secret to their coolness is that they don't use the authentic western atmosphere, but more of the modern, tough n' gritty western swagger that you might expect from a lot of bikers who cruise Death Valley for kicks. The songs are simple, but cool and enjoyable. Andre Fuciarrelli is a really good vocalist for this style. He sings with an earthy touch of grit to his voice that keeps that "western biker" feeling alive in all the songs. Wild West really score points with me by making their image an actual part of their sound rather than a simple gimmick.

This band is best played loud while driving around in the summertime with your windows rolled down. Wild West are the leather wearing, hog riding, modern cowboys of hard rock. Yeah, that's pretty cheesy, but it's also fun as hell.