After nine years of silence, Jakob Dylan has reactivated his Wallflowers. He's got a new line-up, but old habits: Exit Wounds confirms the son of the great Bob as standing in the heritage of his idol Tom Petty... The ten songs on this seventh album are a mix of classic rock and Americana; the guitars are light and clear, very much in the style of the Byrds, and the powerful rhythms are what his fans have come to expect. Even his voice, anything but nasal, has even more gravity here: a velvety texture, warm and sometimes almost sensual. “I’m the same writer I’ve always been" the fifty-something confirms. "I was just also writing during a time when the world felt like it was falling apart. That changes the way you address even the simplest things, because you have panic in your mind all the time. You have anxiety. And you also have hope. And it’s all in there.” Skilfully produced by Butch Walker, Exit Wounds brings in the singer Shelby Lynne on for four tracks, which lends the music even more southern soul heat. This record gets more charming and endearing every time it is played. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz