"The Wiyos made it the hard way. Named after a 19th-century New York Irish street gang, they started out in Brooklyn nine years ago, and developed their slick, rhythmic and unpredictable style as they travelled across the States. They spent time in New Orleans and busked on the streets when they couldn't get gigs. Now, after a personal invitation fromBob Dylan to join him on tour, they look set to become celebrities of the Americana scene. Based very loosely on The Wizard of Oz, their new album is their most adventurous to date, a collage of ragtime, vaudeville,blues and jazz, with a dash of close-harmony vocals, scat, twanging surf-guitar work
and tuneful pop balladry added in. This is (mostly) old-time music played with contagious enthusiasm and given a contemporary twist, with most of the songs switching between different styles. Mary mixes stomping harmonica-backed blues with a scat workout, Penny Arcade matches quirky balladry with a brassy New Orleans stomp, and the theatrical Mama is an accordion-backed psych-folk horror tale that shows off their fine harmony vocals. They are touring here next month and should be worth checking out." (Robin Denselow guardian.co.uk)
