Gaining traction in the ’60s, the occult and rock ‘n’ roll have gone perfectly hand-in-hand for a long time now, but Los Angeles’ Arden and the Wolves take this union more seriously than most, combining the two to the extent that it begins impossible to tell where one begins and the other ends. Their latest release, Who Can You Trust, is perhaps the most personal yet for group founder, Arden Leigh. Intended as a work of self-discovery and self-healing, the songs are rooted in Leigh’s belief that music has spell-like qualties which can have real world implications.
Most of the tracks have strong feminist messages behind them, with Leigh vocally fighting against patterns of misogyny on songs like “Another Year of Rain.” The EP includes a fitting cover of the Ramones’ “Poison Heart,” which was chosen for inclusion here as a response to the MeToo movement. Consequently, the song takes on a whole new meaning and the band imbues it with a brand new emotional depth, which is really the core of this EP. What’s so enthralling and relatable about Who Can You Trust is that Leigh sounds like she’s truly singing for herself and no one else, which will ultimately make the EP all the more relatable for so many people.
