Wolfhounds – Electric Music

A Turntable Friend

2017’s Untied Kingdom was the first full length Wolfhounds release in twenty-seven years and its lucid mix of musical vitality and social commentary was refreshing, on point and far more than we may realistically have expected.

Three years later comes another album and once again, the intervening years have only gone on to hone their musical prowess, lyrical divergence and vocal abilities. In fact, one of the lovely things about this album is that Andy Golding has taken lead vocals on a number of the tracks and his dreamier singing style is quite a nice contrast to David Callahan‘s more withering and acerbic visions.

The feeling with this album is that there is a little more existential observation as opposed to the previous one, sharing space with the social commentary; those tracks make for a slightly more abstract experience, with more opportunity for the listener to read their own meanings into the poetry. In fact, it seems to be Andy whose reflective lyrics take us on a more personal journey while Callahan is thrusting unwelcome visions in our faces; amongst the lyrics to opener “Can’t See The Light” are the lines “We stand with oppressors, empathy wasted / Enjoying the bitterest beating we’ve ever tasted”. It sounds harsh and the musical backing is just as brutal, with the wild guitars scrawling all across the pure and heavy bass line. Andy’s guitar is on the verge of hysteria at points, and although Callahan’s voice is richer and more measured these days, he still savours the bitter taste of the words, swilling them around like good wine.

After listening to this album for the first time, I dug out some of their earlier stuff, and for all the youthful vigour and belligerent strength, the production on the older albums was pretty thin. Here on Electric Music and since they have reconvened, the production values are so much better and it does make for a more satisfying listen. The harmonies that are scattered throughout are lovely, the different textures of the guitars quiver with sharpness, and the players sound tight and still hungry, as if they still have something to prove thirty-five years later, but with accumulated years of experience.

Andy’s voice is sweeter than Callahan’s, and it is most apparent on the imagistic paean to diversity that is “Like Driftwood”. Even with this softer vocal style, the rhythm section is relentless and nothing stops the righteous ire of the accompanying guitar sound. In fact, they seem to have as much emotion to transmit as the voice, but in a threatening and trebley manner. Musical diversity is also the key on this album and the beautifully sad observations of Callahan’s “Song Of The Afghan Shopkeeper” is rather moving in its tale of migrant love lost, even when accompanied by a shuffling Bollywood-esque rhythm. The bulbul tarang and violin lend a floridly Eastern air with electric guitar opposing with its western fire. It is a great combo.

There is a touch of melancholy in the slide guitar on Andy’s “Lightning’s Going To Strike Again”, while the guitars on the title track are murderous and hypnotic as the scrap yard drums beat you about the ears. You really understand the might of what the current Wolfhounds have to offer on the positive ode to independence “Stand Apart”, but the final track, Andy’s “We Don’t Believe In Anything” brings the whole thing down around our ears. The odd, dubby experimentation, shimmering with spindly guitar and mosaic-like snippets, is at odds with the rest of the album and just a further indication of how much they have progressed.

I really feel that this second coming of the band goes some way to eclipsing the earlier work, as wonderful as it was. There seems to be more opportunity to experiment, more patience musically and more time to let things build. There is a richness in the voices, the harmonies both male and female are lovely but surprising and there is a wealth of neat details. You get the impression that the band is under no pressure besides what they might self-impose, and I am tempted to suggest that this might be their best outing yet. Hugely recommended.

-Mr Olivetti-