Alongside his father, Ben Wilson cleared the land on which a reservoir was dug in Georgia. For the latest release with his aptly titled band, Wilson’s Reservoir, he mined a different source of riches—his family tree. After touring extensively in the wake of the release of their 2010 self-titled debut, the Goshen, IN band decided to take some time off to reconnect with the normalcy of life off the road, but when the four-piece starting meeting up once more to jam, it didn’t take long to fall back into their natural creative groove. When Wilson’s mother told him the story of his great grandfather, Buck Baker, a vaudevillian who was said to entertain John Dillinger, he knew he had something special—a way to tell a truly American story, while also diving into the history of his family and his own legacy as a father.

Once the concept album took shape, the band recruited longtime friend and producer, Josh Antonuccio, and recorded The Last Will and Testament of Buck Baker at 3 Elliot Studio in Athens, OH. Core band members Wilson (guitar, lead vocals), Andrew Martin (bass, backing vocals), Andrew Hauser (drums, percussion, backing vocal) and Rafael Chávez y Moreno (lead Guitar, keys, backing vocals) were joined by guest musicians John Borchard (pedal steel), Ryan Brock (keyboard), Josh Antonuccio (piano, keyboard, guitar) and Alasha Al-Qudwah (strings).

Today Elmore is sharing “Cold Hearted Woman,” a track from the upcoming release. Wilson says of the song and the concept of the album, “The Last Will and Testament of Buck Baker is a story about my Great Gramps. He was a traveling musician who just couldn’t settle down. “Cold Hearted Woman” is a song about a tough woman and a man who gave soul to his own desires. He couldn’t get enough of her, and she was looking for someone to sink her teeth into. It was a perfect fit, and he couldn’t get enough of it. We wanted to keep the tune a bit more playful, a somewhat sarcastic lament, to drive home the age old “moth to the flame” scenario.”

The song has a cool, radio-ready alt-rock vibe, but a funky, ambling groove adds a rough-around-the-edges grit to the track. Wilson’s vocals are soulful but playful, sliding from a smooth croon to a subtle rap mid track: “she walks through the night… looking for someone to devour.” Rafael Chávez y Moreno adds an extra dose of emotion to the sonic kalaedescope with his blistering guitar solo that takes the song out on a high note.

The Last Will and Testament of Buck Baker is set for release on October 21^st. Follow the band on their Bandcamp, Facebook and Twitter, and listen to “Cold Hearted Woman” below.