The first time I heard Alexander Wolfe’s music was a song about the mock turtle’s lament in Alice and Wonderland. If that’s not an indication of the kind of songwriter he is, I don’t know what better way to describe it. Wolfe has the uncanny ability to draw emotion out of the wildest places, creating soundscapes that layer and twist, rising and falling with remarkable emotion and meaning.
The recent track “Oslo” impressed us upon first listen. With subsequent listens it has only grown in its impressiveness. The dynamic rise around 1:30 and the following “I’m left with just the taste of her” is exceptional. Anyone who has ever walked away from a meaningful relationship or connection can relate to this. The sensory realities of this song are undeniable; Wolfe has tapped into some of the most meaningful parts of our shared humanity.
Let’s not get caught up in genre conventions here. Wolfe’s music is a bit of everything. “Breaking the Fall” carries a bit of the contemporary pop rock vibe of “Oslo,” but it carves out this unique direction as well. Something about Wolfe’s intonation reminds me of something from the classic rock era. When he layers vocals over the driving and unconventional instrumentation, it creates a sort of sonic “glow” that is curiously enjoyable.
I have no idea how many times I’ve listened to “I Can’t Get to Sleep” but I’ll be honest with you; it’s a lot. The guitar work on this one is top notch, then the dynamic lyrics enter the fray and just melt me. “I can’t live with it, I can’t live without out” sure seems like a song about addiction. I’m sure none of our readers can relate to that AT ALL. A song about pill addiction that brings hope and light to a traumatic reality… that’s the Wolfe songwriting that keeps me coming back for more.
“Fixed for Today” is a bit more whimsical of a tune. The horns on this one are enough to gain my interest. This track may have been mixed by a different engineer as Wolfe’s vocal comes through with a different tone. That said, the whole thing reminds me of classic pop music from the 60s… you know the stuff that would be on movie soundtracks or TV shows. I love it, frankly.
It’s been a long time since I found an artist that had so many songs I can genuinely enjoy like Wolfe. I am looking forward to following his career and hope he releases a full album soon. I think he’d be a fascinating songwriter to talk to as well since his lyrics have such depth and complexity. If anyone has a contact for him, feel free to shoot this feature to him and see if we can’t get him in for an interview soon. Cheers and thanks for reading, friends.
