Review: ‘XX’ – Gregory Dwane

I thoroughly enjoyed Dwane’s self-titled album which came out towards the end of last year. The talented musician who once worked alongside Amy Ray and LeTigre didn’t just step out into the spotlight last year but he announced himself in style. Now he is back with ‘XX’. As he’s about to celebrate 20 years of sobriety, the stand out track for me is ‘Devil’s Working Hard’ which addresses the temptations the devil puts in your way. The guitars bounce off each other, good vs bad almost as they trade solos. The record boasts a superb production and sonically it’s pleasing. The way he interprets ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ is quite surprising yet exciting as the fiddle, banjo and pedal steel paint it in a new light. His originals draw influence from his own personal experience as he teaches us the lessons he’s learnt in a rather up-beat fashion. Reminiscent of Jason Isbell, Dwane is a man who knows his own mind and carves his own path and with this record, there is no mistake that Gregory Dwane is certainly one to watch.