So what do you get when you mix raw, diverse, uncensored talent with insatiable passion? You definitely get The Wild Wolves, an NYC-based musical collective fronted by James Anthony Wolff, an American composer born in 1982. Unlike typical pop and rock artists, The Wild Wolves brings a little something extra to the table, which sets him apart from his counterparts. His ability to push genre boundaries and blend the retro and the modern while displaying such mature songwriting enables him to connect with a broader and more diverse audience. His musical influence is as diverse as he is an individual. He writes songs based on his real life experiences. He shows that he isn’t afraid to give you the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between.
His favorite part of the job is being front and center amongst the sounds of an intrigued audience. The positive energy that he receives from his peers and listeners is what he refers to as the ultimate experience.
The debut album, “Eyes Like Stars,” represents some of his earlier works—music that was written as far back as college—and features a very retro and nostalgic vibe guaranteed to have you reminiscing about the golden age of music. This album represents the sound portrait of an artist whose many facets include a mature understanding of how to craft songs, instrumental dexterity beyond belief, and an immensely expressive voice.
Take, for example, the opening track, “Patterns of Light”- With its beautiful flowing melodies and wonderfully endearing nature, this song is a splendid blending of both the new-age and neo-classical rock styles. The Wild Wolves crafted a deeply engrossing sonic soundscape that makes great use of its atmosphere-inducing textures and highly graceful melodic sensibilities. Any great rock classic piece has the power to effortlessly evoke a strong emotional response from its listeners, and “Patterns of Light” does just that with resounding success.
“Hurricane Machine” is another excellently performed piece; each element of the track is marvelously executed, and the instrumentals’ many melodies graciously weave between one another with both the utmost delicacy and refinement, allowing for a particularly free-flowing arrangement that is an absolute joy to get swept up by. The instrumentation is well chosen, and a great balance has been struck between the majestic quality of the sweeping strings and the beautifully arranged drum part that drives the rhythmic characteristics of the piece forward, providing solid support for Wolff’s enchanting vocals.
‘The Darkest Long Night” features blistering guitar runs, soaring vocal performances, and a marvelous sense of classic rock drenched flamboyance. This is a passionately written and creatively crafted piece of alternative rock that is full of spirit and has an abundance of heart. The Wild Wolves prove that he is clearly a talented writer and performer and has cooked up a particularly catchy rocker of a track that any indie rock fanatic falls in love with.
Any great rock tune needs a powerful lead vocal performance at its forefront, and The Wild Wolves undoubtedly deliver on this with “Setting Sun”- his very first track that was written in college. Not only do the vocals possess the necessary character to really reel the listener in, but the sheer level of control on display is superb. He really nails that classic rock sense of attitude, and his vocal range is incredibly diverse. It’s also clear that James is a keen guitar aficionado, owing to that dexterous guitar technique on display here. Whether it’d be speed-infused melodic flourishes or wildly expressive string bends, this is some seriously tasty guitar playing that really injects the track with that extra bit of flair.
There is quite a lot for a music fan to ingest throughout the album’s length. All you have to do is push the volume a little bit higher, grab a seat, or dance along on your feet as you feel the music from the first track all the way to the eleventh one.
And if you like what you will experience, just remember that this is the first of several albums, The Wild Wolves will release, with the others expected soon enough.
Follow the link below and enjoy this cathartic offering, and make sure you follow The Wild Wolves everywhere for real-time updates on his other projects.
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