Willard's Wormholes

The Wolf That House Built (1994)
The Blues Re-Imagined

I never understood why Little Axe isn’t more appreciated. After an apprenticeship that included playing the blues (at age 10), charting the course of rap (as part of the Sugarhill crew) and embracing avant/house/electronica as part of Adrian Sherwood’s Tackhead, guitarist Skip McDonald came full circle when he adopted the name Little Axe and dedicated himself to re-shaping the blues for the 21st century. With Sherwood’s help, Little Axe (the band) has crafted this re-examination of his roots, using loops, house effects and disembodied voices to create an ambient/house/blues fusion that’s both groovin’ and inventive. Since this excellent debut, Little Axe has continued in this vein over the course of a half dozen, outside-the-box albums that have, sadly, been largely ignored. This one shouldn’t be.

Ride On (5:24)
The Time Has Come (5:05)
Crossroads (6:37)
Never Turn Back Parts 1 & 2 (7:21)
Another Sinful Day (4:07)
Out In The Rain And Cold (4:37)
Crossfire (4:32)
Wolf’s Story (4:23)
Hear My Cry (7:04)
Dayton (6:12)
Falling Down (4:28)
Wake The Town (3:55)