Afton Wolfe is the son-in-law of veteran Nashville songwriter L.H. Halliburton and thus has better access to that burgeoning catalog than others. He selected just these seven, a prime crop and all distinctly different from the next, from the hundreds he could have chosen for Harvest, a blend of well-crafted, articulate, melodic, and outright weird songs delivered in Wolfe’s inimitable gruff but infectious style. Each song has a different instrumental configuration and is produced by Doc Sarlo (Altered Statesman, Adam Trumbo, Jim Skinner Blues Trio) who plays on five of the tracks. Wolfe is a major figure in the East Nashville scene. He is typically a featured guest at the legendary East Nashville annual Tom Wait’s tribute to raise money for Second Harvest and just this Halloween he hosted and led the house band in a massive show with 30 artists, Afton Wolfe’s Idiot Box Show + Weird Pals’ Weird Al Tribute.
The opening title track was his inspiration for the album, a melodic tune imbued with flute, piano, and mandolin and gorgeous harmonies from Robin Wolfe in a song about perseverance and patience, using the metaphor of a withstanding a drought to later enjoy the fruits of the harvest. Hard work will eventually pay off. On “New Orleans Going Down” his bass-drum tandem of Erik Mendez and Madison George create a second line beat and blues harmonicist Ilya Portnov joins for a tune that could be any number of floods endured by the city, as Katrina comes to mind foremost, especially with the mention of the Lower Ninth Ward in the last verse. Somehow, due to the gravelly nature of Wolfe’s voice and the beat, it evokes Waits’ famous tune, often played in the miniseries Treme, “Way Down in The Hole.” In a sonic turn, “Lost Prayers,” features the gorgeous vocals of Courtney Santana and Anna Eyink’s violin transforming a rather basic country waltz into a stunning gospel anthem.
Given his surname, “Hello Mr. Wolf” is one that he couldn’t resist and it’s intentionally the weirdest of the bunch, a duo with Wolfe on guitar and percussion while Sarlo plays piano, keys, bass, and percussion. The opening lines will immediately draw one in as Wolfe speaks rather than sings over the bluesy backdrop – “The wolf on top of the hill/Is not as hungry as the one climbing up the hill” and the final verse – “His howl makes him larger than everything that hears him/His gaze will reach into your soul.”Close your eyes, you can practically visualize the stalking creature.
In yet another sonic surprise “Til the River No Longer Flows,” another song about determination and perseverance, features metal guitarist Will Hammond from the band Karma Vulture who shreds as if it’s his last gig. This one underwent more transformation than any of the demos sent by L.H. Halliburton to Wolfe. Call it blues rock or simply rock but Hammond’s raging guitar adds extra punch to the refrain of “I am weary now/Searching for the answers.” The tune “Mississippi” mixes grungy country and singalong R&B underpinned by baritone sax from Seth Fox while Sarlo handles the rest (drums, bass, guitar, piano, organ). It’s a prototypical driving song. Wolfe concludes the album alone at the piano for “Here to Stay,” a portrait of stark loneliness as the protagonist longs for a visitor who never shows.
With only seven songs, Wolfe traverses lots of ground and styles. He’s dramatic and authentic, capable of creating indelible moods like few others.
