EP Review: Arden and the Wolves – Who Can You Trust
If one digs deep into the music on Arden and the Wolves’ Who Can You Trust, a clear occult undercurrent reveals itself. That’s certainly a somewhat unconventional perspective to take, but the fact is that most everything else about this five-song EP released in January 2018 is quite accessible and (in a good way) mainstream rock.
Vocalist Arden Leigh has a strong set of pipes, and she delivers her lyrics ins an assured (yet never overwrought or needlessly theatrical) manner. The tunes are sturdy, hooky and memorable, and Leigh’s instrumental support – guitarist Marko Jankovic, bassist Rick Brandt and drummer Nick Mason (no, not Pink Floyd’s percussionist) – is rock-solid as well.
Leigh has things on her mind: in this #metoo era, sentiments like “I’m not your bitch / I’m not your muse / I’m not a secret you can keep” (from “Another Year of Rain”) resonate in a way they might not have even a mere year ago. Her perspective that she (and by extension all women) must be accepted and treated as men’s equals is a message that deserves to be communicated and received. That it’s done within the context of an alluring rock tune is all the better.
Who Can You Trust is the third EP from the Los Angeles-based group, and its previous releases – 2012’s Break Me In and It Looks Like Trouble from 2014 – offer more along the same musical and lyrical lines. But Who Can You Trust is the most fully-developed collection of songs from Arden Leigh and her band mates.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.