Founded in 1988 New Yorkers COMPANY OF WOLVES were unfairly pigeonholed into the image-based glam metal field but in actual fact betrayed strong R&B / bluesy hard rock influences.
The Conte siblings, guitarist Steve and bass player john, began working with fontman Kyf Brewer following and introduction by mutual friend. Brewer, from Baltimore, had previously played in The Raven’s before opting to leave for the brigher lights of New York, with fate leading him to the Conte’s door.
The Conte brothers boasted a background of layin’ in a variety of styles, from Hard Rock to Funk to Blues. Showcasing at clubs like CBGB’s and the Limelight, the New Yorkers were signed by Polygram and quickly set to work on their debut record in the city’s Atlantic Studios. Sensing things really were not coming together, the band moved work to Austin, Texas, to work with famed producer Jeff Glixman (Gary Moore, Magnum, Saraya), and completed this self-titled debut there and in Los Angeles with former John Waite / Eastern Bloc man Frankie La Rocka on drums.
COMPANY OF WOLVES sound & style had nothing in common with the glam metal scene they were promoted to. The album is bluesy hard rock with melody, some tracks with catchy melodic hard feel & choruses, comparable to Nelson, some Damn Yankees, Cinderella, The Georgia Satellites, Aerosmith. And it’s very good, deserving more success.
This Japanese CD pressing sounds much better, fuller than the American release.
“Call of the Wild” opens with a kind of slow southern bluesy drawl from guitarist Steve Conte. After that intro, the more rocking nature of the tune is set into motion right quick. It’s got that instantly memorable chorus that you can sing along to. The band follows up that great opening track with two more rockers in “Hangin’ by a Thread” and “Jilted!” The two tracks are pretty darn good and help make for a eminently strong opening trio of songs.
On track 4 you expect a ballad, but instead we find a great AOR tune in “The Distance”. ”Romance On The Rocks” is pure catchiness, and the aforementioned melodic hard rock waves ala Nelson appear on “Can’t Love Ya, Can’t Leave Ya”.
“Hell’s Kitchen” is s punchier riff-driven rocker, then the band goes to a Cheap Trick power pop-rock on the fun “My Ship”. On the midtempo AOR “I Don’t Wannna Be Loved” the lyrics are of a more ballad like nature, but the delivery of them gives the song a more rocking intensity, the kind of midpaced tunes House Of Lords would write years after.
Many fans of refined hard rock with melody missed out on this band & album when it was originally released in 1990, wrongly and poorly promoted by Mercury who like many other labels at the time dropped them after only one LP, concentrating on alternative rock and depressing grunge.
In music industry history, we have come to the conclusion that success is achieved by accident or by manipulative design. Right place at the right time or cynical marketing and positive press coverage – take your pick. What is certain though is that too many decent bands simply fall between the cracks.
Now, almost 35 years after the fact, the ”Company Of Wolves” album amply demonstrates that even in the twilight of the “Metal Years”, there was some prime hard rocking music to be found.
Highly Recommended
01 – Call Of The Wild
02 – Hangin’ By A Thread
03 – Jilted!
04 – The Distance
05 – Romance On The Rocks
06 – Can’t Love Ya, Can’t Leave Ya
07 – Hell’s Kitchen
08 – St. James Infirmary
09 – My Ship
10 – I Don’t Wanna Be Loved
11 – Girl
12 – Everybody’s Baby
Lead Vocals, Harmonica, Piano – Kyf Brewer
Guitar, Vocals – Steve Conte
Bass, Vocals – John Conte
Drums – Frankie LaRocka
Produced by Company Of Wolves and Jeff Glixman