The free-wheelin’ rock ‘n’ soul trio DeWolff have announced their new studio album ‘Muscle Shoals’, which was recorded at the legendary FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, Alabama. The album will be released on 6 December via Mascot Records. Check out the band at FAME studios on the video for their new song, “In Love.”
Nestled on the banks of the Tennessee River, just South of Nashville and to the East of Memphis sits the town of Muscle Shoals, Alabama. In the 1960s with the help of two recording studios, FAME and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, it became home to the Soul of America.
FAME Studios saw the birth of Aretha Franklin as the Queen of Soul when she sat at the piano and laid down, “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)”; There was also Arthur Conley, Wilson Pickett, and Etta James. A little more than two miles up the road is Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, which saw Cher, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Dylan all come through the doors and all the way up to The Black Keys when they recorded the Grammy-winning, ‘Brothers,’ there in 2010.
When the opportunity for DeWolff to head to Muscle Shoals to record it was a dream come true. “Even before we were into Southern Rock, as a kid, Luka got an album of Southern Soul, and most of it was recorded at FAME.” says singer/guitarist Pablo van de Poel of his brother. “Our introduction to Soul didn’t start with James Brown; we started with Wilson Pickett.”
The album kicks off with “In Love,” a swirling funky soul ode to cheating. “It’s about if you’re with someone for a long time and you meet someone else, and they really turn your world upside down by challenging the promises you make to your partner when you have a long term relationship. There’re all these things that you want to do. There’s a line that goes ‘tell me babe why can’t we meet, at the dark end of the street,’ which is a reference to Dark End of the Street, written by Muscle Shoals songwriter Dan Penn.”
In May 2024, they travelled to Muscle Shoals to record their 10th studio album between the two studios with Grammy Award-winning producer Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes). “You can really feel some kind of rock ‘n roll magic in the air there,” Pablo adds. “Right when we played our first notes there, I got goosebumps. This definitely was one of the best recording experiences we’ve ever had. Even the grand piano Leon Russell used was still there, just like the electric Wurlitzer piano that was used on “I Never Loved A Man” by Aretha Franklin!”
The brooding lowdown soul-funk of “Out on the Town” was inspired by the novel, The Man with the Golden Arm by Nelson Algren, recommended to Pablo by The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson. “Let’s Stay Together” is” one of the most personal and direct emotional love songs” Pablo has ever written. “Ophelia” sees them create their own Greek mythological story and “Snowbird” is a gentle but epic 8-minute journey about a person fleeing from a cold place, such as a relationship.
Over the past 18 months, the enchanting psychedelic soul ‘n’ rollers have preached their Electric Gospel on a cruise, in a castle, sold out countless headline tours across Europe and transformed festival crowds into their own disciples. They’ve toured with The Black Crowes and have previously played shows with Blues Pills, Deep Purple, TOTO, and count Seasick Steve as a fan.
Muscle Shoals, follows their previous #1 studio album Love Death & In Between (2023) and since then they have celebrated a Edison Award nomination (The Dutch Grammy’s), released Live & Outta Sight III, and also received the live music award, the ‘Gouden Notekraker.’ In June 2023, they produced the world’s fastest Studio-to-store record – 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 38 seconds for “Rosita Rápida”, beating the record previously held by Jack White.
Track List
1. In Love
2. Natural Woman
3. Out On The Town
4. Let’s Stay Together
5. Ophelia
6. Truce
7. Hard to Make A Buck
8. Book of Life
9. Winner (When It Comes to Losing)
10. Fools & Horses
11. Snowbird
12. Ships in the Night
13. Cicada Serenade
Formed in the Netherlands’ Deep South of Geleen as teenagers, Pablo van de Poel (guitar/vocals) and Luka van de Poel (drums/vocals), alongside Robin Piso (Hammond/Wurlitzer), have carved out a place for themselves as carefree adventurers; prolific in the studio and well-worn road-rovers. “It sounds like a fantasy story,” Pablo reflects. ” 17 years ago, my mind would have never dared to go there to think of all the things we’ve done and places we’ve seen.”
Tour dates
DEC 07: NL – Utrecht, DEWOLFFEST 2 – Album release
DEC 12: SE – Malmo, Babel
DEC 13: SE – Gothenburg, Valand
DEC 14: SE – Uppsala, Katalin
DEC 15: SE – Stockholm, Debaser
JAN 03: NL – Alkmaar, Victorie
JAN 04: NL – Groningen, Oosterpoort
JAN 10: NL – Rotterdam, Maassilo
JAN 11: NL – Nijmegen, Doornroosje
JAN 24: NL – Eindhoven, Effenaar
JAN 25: NL – Maastricht, Muziekgieterij
JAN 30: NL – Amsterdam, Concertgebouw
FEB 01: BE – Antwerpen, Trix
FEB 06: FR – Paris, Trabendo
FEB 07: FR – Laval, 6PAR4
FEB 08: FR – La Roche sur Yon, Quai M
FEB 09: FR – Bordeaux, Le Rocher Club
FEB 11: ES – Barcelona, La[2] de Apolo
FEB 12: ES – Zaragoza, Las Armas
FEB 13: ES – Madrid, Sala BUT
FEB 14: ES – Bilbao, Santana 27
FEB 25: DE – Berlin, Hole 44
FEB 26: DE – Dresden, Beatpol
FEB 27: DE – Munich, Backstage
FEB 28: AT – Innsbruck, PMK
MAR 01: CH – Zurich, Mascotte
MAR 02: IT – Milan, Santeria
MAR 08: NL – Steenwijk, De Meenthe
APR 12: UK – Glasgow, Stereo
APR 13: UK – Manchester, Deaf Institute
APR 15: UK – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
APR 16: UK – Bristol, The Fleece
APR 17: UK – Oxford, O2 Academy
APR 18: UK – London, Garage
MAY 14: DE – Stuttgart, Im Wizemann
MAY 15: DE – Frankfurt, Das Bett
MAY 16: DE – Cologne, Kantine
MAY 17: DE – Münster, Sputnikhalle
MAY 18: DE – Hamburg, Übel & Gefährlich
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