Wild Boars
Turin, Italy | Established. Jan 01, 2008
Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"This self-produced debut album certainly achieves the objectives that Andy had previously set himself, namely to combine the sound of American folk and country with the attitude of British indie..."
"Listening to the 12 tracks on the album, the first thing that strikes you are the lyrics which, combined with Andy’s own individual sound, lead the listener through a range of emotions, which is perhaps exactly as he intended..."
"If you listen closely, you’ll also discover a number of musical elements evoking memories of such greats as the Eagles and the Flying Burrito Brothers..."
- Ferdinando Vighi, www.rootsandblues.org, Associazione Roots & Blues, Parma, Italy
"In this debut album, Andy’s passion for his own roots as well as for American folk and bluegrass are evident in a delightful blend of Anglo-folk-Americana-country..."
"I was particularly impressed by his distinct country/folk sound as well as the lyrics, and the album definitely grows on you after a couple of listens..."
"Highlights include the wonderful "Xenophobia", as well as "Our England",
"I Wouldn't Have Swapped Her For You" and "Guilty", while “In The Red” deserves a special mention for its late 60s early 70s feel, which sounds like a mixture of the Eagles, the Flying Burrito Brothers and the Beatles with a pinch of Creedence thrown in!" - Riccardo Rambaldi, www.rimamedia.com
“The mix of country-folk and other influences which characterise his music are really rather original and decidedly pleasing to the ear. The musical structure is without doubt of excellent quality as are the songs which, alternating between energetic and more gentle passages, prove to be both enjoyable and fascinating. All things considered then, it’s a green light, thanks in no small measure to the commitment and passion running through the whole project …” - Massimo Ferro, Radio Spazio Voce, Alessandria, www.highway61.it
The critics put Andy Penington's music somewhere in between Hank Williams and the Pogues.
Indeed, it has country and at times even rockabilly influences, and is enhanced by a certain musical ease and simplicity.
For an English (half Irish) guy, Andy's music is very American, but that doesn’t detract from the considerable pleasure you get when listening to the album. Songs like "Cruel To Be Cruel" or "You Can't Take It With You" must sound great live, while the ballad "Xenophobia" lingers in the mind long after the CD has finished.
The most British sounding track on the album is, naturally, "Our England", in my opinion one of the catchiest folk-rock songs of the past few years.
- Taclem, www.folkowa.art.pl - Polish folk music website
The sound is utterly enjoyable, a blend of country, folk and rock which stands up well alongside many British bands, such as The Men They Couldn’t Hang, to name but one, who have mixed traditional and rock attitudes over the last twenty years......
From the sparkling opening of “Snap Out Of It”, the mood of the album is defined straight away, rhythmically buoyant and packed with a good sense of melody. Songs like “I Wouldn’t Have Swapped Her For You”, “Take Heart”, “Your Disgrace”, “Two-Faced”, the measured country ballad “In The Red” and the terse and relentless “Guilty” are all a pleasure to listen to. If Andy Penington happens to be playing in your area, don’t miss him. Value for money guaranteed! - Remo Ricaldone, www.planetcountry.it
Discography
cheated hearts (own label).
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
The Wild Boars were born thanks to a group of people united by passion for a diverse range of roots music from both sides of the pond, including country, blues, bluegrass, Irish folk and rock ‘n’ roll.
In the winter of 2010 the band released their debut album, “A Bottle Or A Gun”, described by UK magazine “R2” as a “lively and infectious mix of bluegrass and soul-inflected alt. country”. Then, after a couples of years performing concerts throughout northern Italy, the Boars flew across the channel to play a four-gig stint in London in the autumn of 2012. At this stage, the band had honed a particularly engaging live set, ranging from the gritty country-rock of “Do I Have To?” to heart-breaking ballads such as “Your Train” and “Xenophobia”, not to mention exhilarating bluegrass-folk hoedowns like “Cruel To Be Cruel” and “This Bottle”.
The heady atmosphere of their live shows was captured on their live album “The Wild Boars Live At Gilgamesh”, which was released in December 2012, also showcasing a wide range of influences with cover versions of Neil Young’s “For The Turnstiles”, “Back Down South” by Kings of Leon, the traditional American folk standard “Man Of Constant Sorrow” and “Field of Birds” by Sweden’s Tallest Man On Earth, all sitting nicely alongside the band’s originals.
The band has continued to develop their passion for combining traditional American, British and Irish influences with a decidedly rock ‘n’ roll attitude, and in April 2018 returned with a new album entitled "Stangers In A Familiar Land". The record showcases the band's move towards a more acoustic sound with twelve brand new songs, ranging from the "Poguesque" revelry of "Never Felt This Good" and "She's The Sunshine" to folk-tinged ballads such as "Fear Is Nothing" and the country-flavoured "If I Ever". The album also features a special guest appearance by Franceso "Fry" Moneti of Italian folk-rock legends Modena City Ramblers, who plays violin on the Irish-influenced "A Cowards Jig" and the bluegrass instrumental "Losin' Yer Rag"...
Band Members
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