Greg Wood

A growth as an artist has led to Greg Wood's third album, and his best effort to date. Simply entitled, GREG WOOD III, it's a darker, yet sensual journey through the talent of this young musician.

The lyrics and music on his latest album have a heavy hitting, kick you in the balls sound. Empowering vocals with crisp, clear, hot as hell guitar are rounded out by hard pounding drums that keep you entwined within the attitude that is this new distinctive sound. That's what puts Greg aside from alot of other independent artists today. It clearly reflects his past and present musical influences, from Metallica to Eddie Vedder, and emphasizes his continuous evolution as a musical artist.

Most of the songs on this album are about relationships, love and sex, to which most of us can, to varying degrees, understand and relate to. Greg has stated that 'love' is universal, and his experiences of success and sorrow played a big part in creating this album. GREG WOOD III has been billed as a bigger production than anything he has attempted so far.

He's continuously improving his skills as a song writer and musician by working in the best studios and performing to the best of his abilities not only in the studio, but also the multitude of live shows he performs at. His largest live show to date has been Boonstock, an outdoor festival, held just outside of Gibbons, Alberta. Greg performed alongside many other musicians in front of hundreds of fans that, regardless of the rain, partied to great music all weekend long.

Despite his success, he hasn't forgotten his roots, performing a live show in his hometown of Bonnyville, Alberta, in June 2011, Greg made the time to autograph several posters and one lucky young fan's guitar, which happened to be the first one that he has been asked to sign. When asked how he felt about it, he replied, "It's great, that's the first time I've been asked to autograph a guitar! It's nice to know that I can have such a good impact on a young artist."

With an artist as diverse as Greg Wood, it's easy to find favourites on the record. It simply depends on which of his vast array of influences you share. His use of the slide guitar on " You Wouldnt Understand" shows the maturity of his musicianship, while the lyrics in "Little While" are written from experience and a unique insight. Those are just two of the standout tracks on the album in my opinion. But you might adopt others as your favourites, as there's really not a bad track on the album.

Five of Greg's songs are featured on the extreme snowmobiling film "Thunderstruck 10," released in August 2011 by USA based Thunderstruck Films. Two of those songs, "Razorblades" and "Little While," are from this latest album. What's next for Greg Wood? In his own words, "an unplugged album, co-writing in Nashville, writing the next rock album, building a new studio and a summer 2012 tour."



- Review by Ray Ladd for canadianbands.com

A growth as an artist has led to Greg Wood's third album, and his best effort to date. Simply entitled, GREG WOOD III, it's a darker, yet sensual journey through the talent of this young musician.

The lyrics and music on his latest album have a heavy hitting, kick you in the balls sound. Empowering vocals with crisp, clear, hot as hell guitar are rounded out by hard pounding drums that keep you entwined within the attitude that is this new distinctive sound. That's what puts Greg aside from alot of other independent artists today. It clearly reflects his past and present musical influences, from Metallica to Eddie Vedder, and emphasizes his continuous evolution as a musical artist.

Most of the songs on this album are about relationships, love and sex, to which most of us can, to varying degrees, understand and relate to. Greg has stated that 'love' is universal, and his experiences of success and sorrow played a big part in creating this album. GREG WOOD III has been billed as a bigger production than anything he has attempted so far.

He's continuously improving his skills as a song writer and musician by working in the best studios and performing to the best of his abilities not only in the studio, but also the multitude of live shows he performs at. His largest live show to date has been Boonstock, an outdoor festival, held just outside of Gibbons, Alberta. Greg performed alongside many other musicians in front of hundreds of fans that, regardless of the rain, partied to great music all weekend long.

Despite his success, he hasn't forgotten his roots, performing a live show in his hometown of Bonnyville, Alberta, in June 2011, Greg made the time to autograph several posters and one lucky young fan's guitar, which happened to be the first one that he has been asked to sign. When asked how he felt about it, he replied, "It's great, that's the first time I've been asked to autograph a guitar! It's nice to know that I can have such a good impact on a young artist."

With an artist as diverse as Greg Wood, it's easy to find favourites on the record. It simply depends on which of his vast array of influences you share. His use of the slide guitar on " You Wouldnt Understand" shows the maturity of his musicianship, while the lyrics in "Little While" are written from experience and a unique insight. Those are just two of the standout tracks on the album in my opinion. But you might adopt others as your favourites, as there's really not a bad track on the album.

Five of Greg's songs are featured on the extreme snowmobiling film "Thunderstruck 10," released in August 2011 by USA based Thunderstruck Films. Two of those songs, "Razorblades" and "Little While," are from this latest album. What's next for Greg Wood? In his own words, "an unplugged album, co-writing in Nashville, writing the next rock album, building a new studio and a summer 2012 tour."



- Review by Ray Ladd for canadianbands.com

Greg Wood takes plenty of opportunities to play his guitar with bloody-knuckled purpose on this self-titled album. But there’s more -- much more -- to this project, as Wood uncovers a series of complex, emotional thoughts.

The opening “Razorblades” combines a crunchy guitar riff, at once hard and propulsive, with a snarled lyric full of similar-sounding recriminations. The singer-songwriter has, with only a moment’s notice, framed Greg Wood III as a darkly confessional offering, but one that doesn’t at first promise much in the way of melancholy wonder. Wood’s fleet solo, a burst of emotion, telegraphs a more direct response to life’s troubled times: Punching back.

A similar riffy menace surrounds “You Wouldn’t Understand,” which only becomes more freewheeling with the addition of a swooning slide. Wood tries again, within the song’s scalding lyrics, to explain things: “I’m a life,” he sings, “that’s built on pain,” before seeming to give up on framing it all: “You wouldn’t understand.”

Even Wood’s love songs, it seems, are going to be difficult expressions of broken passion, as on the soaring “Little While,” where his characters make gruff admissions on the fleeting nature of relationships. At the same time, though, Wood begins sketching out a very different storyline on the guitar -- one of hard-bitten perspective that only comes from being hurt one too many times. Drummer Byran Bueckert is, as always, a rattling engine pushing Wood’s heavy-rocking tunes into another gear, but already we get the sense that there is more to Greg Wood III than shredding.

The subsequent “Fly Away” makes good on that promise, as Wood settles into a more contemplative groove, allowing himself to sing rather than growl for the first time on the project. His solo work this time is a perfectly proportioned, blues-drenched cry, rather than an angry retort. From there, Wood moves through a series of musical environments, and in some instances deeper, sentiment.

First, comes the delicate acoustic beauty found on the intro to “Hope In Her Eyes.” Of course, before long, Wood and Co. come rumbling back for the crisply exciting chorus -- mimicking the narrative sweep associated with bands like Pearl Jam -- but not before showing a canny ability to perform in more considered surroundings. (Wood returns to this ebb-and-flow formula later, with “Memories and Postcards.”)

Any questions as to whether Wood and Co. can handle the raw openness of a ballad are answered on the fully realized “Father’s Touch,” as Wood welcomes a pair of guest artists in organist Chris Andrew and vocalist Lindsey Ell. Multi-instrumentalist Stew Kirkwood, already heard on bass and piano, switches to pedal steel guitar, as well. The result is a country-tinged lament, this elegantly wrought story of missed opportunities in

love. Ell’s vocal blends perfectly with Wood’s, and with Kirkwood’s weeping lines, to create this moment of hushed, heartbroken beauty.

Then Wood plugs back in, as “Infinity” comes roaring out with a grungy Bo Diddley beat. In full howl again now, Wood’s character returns to complaining about his one-horse town and brushing off a girl who can’t see how he really feels -- all while Wood tears off a series of brawny licks on the guitar.

“Cocaine Lover,” perhaps the most intricate musical offering on Greg Wood III, seems at first to be a showcase for a burst of Doors-inspired organ from Andrew. Soon, however, Bueckert begins working in a convoluted drum signature, and he and Wood deftly move the song from a mid-tempo lope into a dynamic, polyrhythmic groove -- and then back again. “Perfect Drug” finds Kirkwood (now on bass) and Wood bashing their way through an intensely desolate cadence, even as Wood’s offers his most blatantly catchy vocal. The lyric has more to do with the former than the latter, however, as Wood cautions against falling for someone who struggles to contain his welled-up emotions: “I should have never let you see … a darker side of me,” Wood sings over a shambling, stuttering music bed that perfectly underscores this collision of atmospherics.

Finally, there’s “Whiskey Smile,” another urgently rocking fable about somebody who’s dealing with just a little bit more than she can handle. As Bueckert thrums along with dangerous intent, Wood offers a closing blast of guitar fury -- moving from quietly assertive to deadly serious then to a lusty shout, then back again.

It’s a nice metaphor for Greg Wood III as a whole, this head-banging record that touches the heart, too.

Review by Nick DeRiso

Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)
- Nick DeRiso - somethingelsereviews.com

Not only does Canadian-born singer/guitarist Greg Wood pack a heartfelt crunch in his guitar/rock style, but his poignant, emotional voice is just as expressive as his string tickling. On Greg Wood III, the Albertan’s third release, Mr. Wood lays out eleven tracks of roots rock tunes with a bright, modern feel. Most noticeable is the energy and electricity that surges through these cuts; a mix of great chords, up-tempo choruses, and an amicable guitar flow…but does a little go a long way?

Wood’s music is somewhere along the lines of Creed, Theory Of A Deadman, and Nickelback…a combination of rock-perfect vocals with a slight gruffness, and lyrics ranging from love to heartbreak to deception. The opening track, “Razorblade” starts off with a catchy guitar riff that builds into the chorus and then explodes with Wood’s soulful voice. The entire cut is engulfed with a wonderful rock backbone and should be listened to loud. Wood struts his guitar prowess with some rather impressive guitar playing about three-quarters of the way through the song. With all of these elements, this track should be the first released single. “You Wouldn’t Understand” packs the same kind of punch as it closely imitating the previous track, but sounding just a tad more commercial and familiar.

The only downside to the album becomes apparent in the third track. “Little While” repeats steps one and two…sure, the energy is there and the guitar work is front and center, but there’s a little bit of redundancy in the chords, in the flow of the song, and the overall song as a complete package. “Fly Away” changes things up a bit, sparking a different tempo and chemistry while maintaining a sturdy, stable rock feel. The chorus is catchy, and the short riffs create a hook that really works.

“Hope In Her Eyes “ spotlights Wood’s gifted voice. Wood can sound amazingly sincere and honest in his singing, and this track is evidence of this. The song itself is another mid-tempo rock tune, brought down just a notch by the familiar-sounding chorus. “Father’s Touch” is a well-written slower track, seemingly about a girl who died pregnant and the pain felt by her lover who never had the chance to be the father of her child…”a father’s touch never felt”. The song itself is a great change of pace, but at the same time it exhibits Wood’s ability to write a pretty decent story song.

“Cocaine Lover” has a smooth rock flow with more colorful guitar work, yet it refreshingly strays from the other songs because of its less chunky, rather abbreviated rock flavor, which tends to work in Wood‘s favor in this case. “Perfect Drug” is another well-sung track that is made for radio with its quirky pace and hook-laden makeup. The album wraps up with “Whiskey Smile”, a song that’s weighted down with the burden of sounding like too many other songs played by aforementioned artists like Nickelback and Theory Of A Deadman.

Greg Wood has the talent…there’s no doubt about it. He has the guitar-playing prowess, the ability to craft catchy riffs and hooks, and he’s capable of writing effective lyrics that are smart and attention grabbing. The only flaw in this album is the fact that he hasn’t yet broken away from sounding like many existing or pre-existing bands, and because of this, a few of the tracks sound too much alike. There’s a clichéd sound that veins through three or four of the tracks, causing the audience to stray slightly from any immediate listening only to focus on the question, “ Who does this guy sound like?” This is truly the only point against Greg Wood III. There’s great music here, and with just a little fine tuning, Mr. Wood will soon be distinguishing himself with a more original, distinct sound that bears his fingerprints, all done without falling too far away from the rock and roll tree.

Review by Mike DeGagne

Rating: 3 Stars (out of 5)
- Mike De Gagne - Freelance Reviewer

"Bonnyville's Greg Wood stole the show with his guitar and vocal appearance....looked like a seasoned professional....commended by the judges for his superb stage presence, bluesy swagger, and exceptional low register..." - Bonnyville Post Gazette

"Bonnyville's Greg Wood stole the show with his guitar and vocal appearance....looked like a seasoned professional....commended by the judges for his superb stage presence, bluesy swagger, and exceptional low register..." - Bonnyville Post Gazette

"The self-written, four track EP is a personal acoustic journey into a young man's life - often sombre, always intriguing, and never disappointing." - www.canadianbands.com

“this is just flat out ka-chunk rock ‘n’roll stripped down…gutsy roadhouse rock...”
- Moose Jaw Times

“Greg Wood’s vocals are similar to Chad Kroeger, but deeper, throatier, and much sexier sounding…he’s a phenomenal guitarist. Greg Wood could easily be on the same scale as Bon Jovi, and I’d love to see it happen.”
- LInear Reflections

“…a big rock sound with rich vocals that have a deep, Eddie Vedder quality and are equally as powerful.” - Music Up Close - SKOPE magazine

“Wood seems to get a grip on the real potential of his abilities here…genuine, passionate, and creative….he should be proud…ambitious rhythms and heartfelt lyrics.” - Lucid Forge

“For those of you who like the music of John Mayer and Kurt Cobain, Edmonton singer-songwriter Greg Wood has just releases his first full-length self-titled CD. The collection contains a nice variety of strumming ballads and driving rock tunes.”
- Seaway News

“…kick-ass, electric guitar…voice full of brashness, passion and soul. Wood offers a winning combo.” - Jimmy Rae - Skope Magazine Review

“Wood seems to get a grip on the real potential of his abilities here…genuine, passionate, and creative….he should be proud…ambitious rhythms and heartfelt lyrics.” - Lucid Forge

“…the more mellow of the album’s track’s…really allow Wood’s talent to shine through…we are going to hear more from this guy. Or at least we should.” - Peterborough This Week

“Wood’s …the dysfunctional love child of Scott Stapp and Chad Kroeger.” - McGill Tribune

“…the more mellow of the album’s track’s…really allow Wood’s talent to shine through…we are going to hear more from this guy. Or at least we should.” - Peterborough This Week