Maybe it is because they were extremely young when they started out, but DeWolff somehow managed to evolve in a very interesting way without alienating most of the fans they had since day one. Starting out heavily inspired by the psychedelic rock of the late sixties and early seventies, the Dutch trio slowly but surely adopted a more southern rock type of sound, with plenty of room for americana despite the songs becoming shorter on average. Their new album ‘Love, Death & In Between’ is another interesting phase in their evolution, as it contains a rather generous helping of soul.

Last year, DeWolff collaborated with their similarly vintage-minded friends of The Dawn Brothers on the extremely soulful ‘Double Cream’ album. In a recent interview I had with DeWolff’s singer and guitarist Pablo van de Poel, he acknowledged that some of the songs on ‘Love, Death & In Between’ could have been on ‘Double Cream’ in some shape or form and vice versa. That does not mean the former is a full-on soul album, but the influences are notable among the greasy rock ‘n’ roll and bluesy guitar playing. It makes the song material and performances on ‘Love, Death & In Between’ particularly spirited.

Anyone who looks at the track lengths before listening to the album would be forgiven for thinking DeWolff brought back the lengthy psychedelic rock for ‘Rosita’. However, this sixteen-minute centerpiece of the album plays more like a medley than a song that squeezes all the possibilities out of a handful of riffs. Its movements mirror all the different influences heard on ‘Love, Death & In Between’, moving back and forth between subdued New Orleans grooves, Leon Russell-esque gospel-meets-americana choruses and rock ‘n’ roll exuberance. Lyrically as well as atmosphere-wise, it feels like a conceptual suite.

‘Rosita’ is hardly the only highlight on the album though. For me, ‘Heart Stopping Kinda Show’ is really set on fire by its Stonesy rock ‘n’ roll groove. ‘Wontcha Wontcha’ is equally reminiscent of what the Stones would do in the early seventies, while the dark blues of ‘Mr. Garbage Man’ effectively channels the spirit of Peter Green. ‘Night Train’ is the perfect song to open the album in how the band and their guest musicians purely kick on the song’s fat groove for a while before building some crazy guitar and organ licks on top of it. ‘Message For My Baby’ is probably the most driven rocker on the album and the nocturnal groove of closer ‘Queen Of Space & Time’ is just awesome.

Through the years, DeWolff has come to be known for several things. Their albums always sound like they have been recorded in the seventies at the very latest both stylistically and sonically, no doubt due to the fact that their recordings tend to be fully analog. Also, despite the loose, jammy feel of the songs – emphasized this time by the album being record almost entirely live in the studio – is kept in check by the fact that the songs are actually quite tightly written and arranged. And if the name of the band is on an album cover, it is simply a seal of quality for those who like old, largely American-styled roots rock.

Recommended tracks: ‘Heart Stopping Kinda Show’, ‘Mr. Garbage Man’, ‘Rosita’, ‘Night Train’