Joe Wilkinson - "Fences"
- Wolf Georgia - MusicFarmer5
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
MUSIC FARMER 5 - Review by Wolf Georgia
Tearing Down Walls with a Voice Like Open Sky
There’s something timeless about JOE WILKINSON’s debut album Fences—an ease in its storytelling, a well-worn strength in its sound. From the opening slide guitar riff of “Travelin’ On” to the last breath of acoustic light on the closer, this is the kind of record that feels like it's always been there, tucked into the corner of your favorite road trip, waiting to be played loud with the windows down.
Fences is a ten-song journey that dips into bluesy rock, Americana soul, and a splash of ‘90s grunge grit—think Tom Petty taking the long way home, backed by The Eagles’ harmonies and Pearl Jam’s heart. But make no mistake-JOE WILKINSON doesn’t just borrow; he builds his own masterpiece. Each track is its own stop on a winding path through loss, liberation, reflection, and resolve.
“Travelin’ On” kicks things off with a pulse. It’s joyful, but not careless-blues slide guitar tangles with a vocal line that bends like sunlight on chrome. The guitar and voice move in conversation, teasing each other in a call-and-response that feels alive and spontaneous. It’s not just a song about being on the road—it is the road.
Then comes “Lost Until I’m Found,” and the album shifts into a deeper gear. A halftime beat anchors the track as guitars swirl like ghosts of every great rock record you’ve ever loved. When JOE WILKINSON sings “Someday, someday, someday, someday,” it’s not a plea—it’s a promise. The repetition builds into something near-mythic, underscored by a solo that refuses to fade quietly.
The emotional centerpiece, though, may be “One Last Time.” A ballad carved from longing, it leans into the ache of unsaid goodbyes. The harmonies are haunting, but not heavy—they lift the melody like hands reaching for someone who’s just out of reach. “I just wanna talk with you, one last time,” JOE WILKINSON sings, and it lands like a whisper on the shoulder of memory.
The title track “Fences” is where JOE WILKINSON’s songwriting shines brightest. It opens with acoustic guitar and a swell of B-3 organ that feels like the morning sun pouring through a window after a long night. “Fences, running high, much too high for me…” he sings—and the metaphor lands with clarity. It's a song about freedom, not just from others, but from the barriers we build inside ourselves.
“Accepting” takes a sonic left turn, starting with a shimmer of guitar that feels almost cinematic before diving headlong into grunge-laced intensity. It’s a reminder that JOE WILKINSON’s roots include Hendrix and Pearl Jam as much as Dylan and The Stones. His voice here carries an edge—raw, driven, undeniably urgent.
“Understood” and “Most of the Time” both offer warmth and depth—gentler moments that still carry weight. The former feels ready-made for a film soundtrack, with its swelling arrangement and quiet determination, while the latter is pure comfort: guitars that shimmer, a voice that leans in rather than belts out.
