ACL Music Fest 2013 Saturday Reviews

The Joy Formidable

Reviving the massive echoes of 2011 debut full-length The Big Roar, this Welsh trio's second LP won't work if heard at anything less than the farthest notch right on the volume knob. That said, while Wolf's Law will undoubtedly shame you off of Spotify, it lacks the full weight of its predecessor thanks to obvious grabs for the epic. "This Ladder Is Ours" shit-kicks out of the gate in an ecstatic ascent of full bass and unremitting guitar. They counter with "Cholla," establishing the hook early, but then let it wear thin through the song. Frontwoman Ritzy Bryan remains an able lead, yet her vocals fall second to her swarming guitar, brandished in six-minute saga "The Leopard and the Lung." Wolf's Law swings as hard as The Big Roar, the difference being the aim. Regardless, it's a blast to blow out your speakers with. (5pm, Bud Light stage)

Formidable