Packed with enough dirty guitar riffs to fill a smoky roadside bar,
Walking Papers' second album,
WP2, is another dose of no-nonsense rock & roll from the Seattle-based group. Recorded in early 2015 -- shortly after wrapping up touring behind their self-titled debut --
WP2 arrived three years later in 2018, due to bassist
Duff McKagan's obligations with his other band,
Guns N' Roses. Improving upon their first with polished production and a livelier vigor,
WP2 is blues-drenched rock that fans of
Queens of the Stone Age and
Screaming Trees should enjoy. Frontman Jeff Angell's voice carries the project, his gritty delivery reminiscent of Bono filtered through the murk of
Mark Lanegan. Despite this being a straightforward rock blast, those subtle hints of early
U2 pop up multiple times, from the slow-burning "Red & White" and the theatrics of "Before You Arrived" down to the harmonies and rhythm on "Yours Completely." Elsewhere, the band gets wild on the rollicking "Somebody Else" and elicits a visceral yearning on the crunchy "This Is How It Ends." Of all the pleasing doses of testosterone-drenched rock, "King Hooker" is a highlight that snakes and grooves with an addictive outlaw flair. While there aren't many novel ideas presented by
Walking Papers, fans of sprawling guitar solos, unfiltered bravado, and expert songcraft will find much to appreciate on
WP2. ~ Neil Z. Yeung