Bill Wilson has to be mighty proud of his boys. After their early 20 something wanderings took them all over the country, Wilson brothers James, Sam, and Abe returned to their native Charlottesville in 2005, formed Sons of Bill with friends Brian Caputo and Seth Green, and commenced to taking their country-tinged rock and roll up and down the Eastern Seaboard. The band recently released One Town Away, a record produced at a near breakneck pace – just ten days in the studio – with noted producer Jim Scott, who has previously worked with Tom Petty, Wilco, and Whiskeytown.
Sons of Bill doesn’t redefine the world of alt-country with One Town Away, but the band is guaranteed to lure in new fans because of the record’s accessibility; there is simply too much good stuff on One Town Away for potential fans to ignore. The big belt buckle Nashville crowd will dig the band’s hook laden songwriting, the most discerning roots rock fan will latch on to the gritty honesty of the record’s twelve tracks, and – let’s just be honest here – coeds will be driven lusty eyed during sing-along favorites like “Broken Bottles” or guaranteed crowd pleaser “Going Home.”
Big things await the Bill Wilson’s boys. Upcoming tour dates include shows in New York City, New Orleans, and the Austin City Limits festival. One Town Away establishes Sons of Bill as a band on the brink of grand success.
