The Collected Works of Stephen Douglas Wolfe

Last month I told you about meeting local singer-songwriter Stephen Douglas Wolfe, and how he delivered three 7" singles and a CD (an EP containing the contents of those singles) in order to thanks for a review I did last summer.

I'm not sure how much I can add to those blog entries. I do have a different perspective on the all of the tracks, thanks to the CD, and what it adds up to is a terrific side one on an LP. The 7" singles are gorgeous in packaging, sound quality and musical content, but listening to small chunks of music and then flipping the records over ever few minutes...wait, where did the Vinyl Anachronist go? This guy is complaining about flipping over vinyl!

Naw, it's not like that. I'm just saying that listening to all of the single tracks in a row impressed me because I saw the flow between the songs better, and I feel confident that Stephen Douglas Wolfe is more than just a promising Syracuse performer. He's good enough to make it big, make it on his own, go national, go global, whatever cliche you want to add. I hope he does. I hope he adds a side two sometime soon.

If you're interested in ordering these recordings, you can visit his website for more info. The total cost of the three 7" singles is $30, which might seem like a lot until you remember that the pressings sound fantastic. (It's sold under "SDW Vinyl Single Series.") I'm tempted to stick in a qualifier--really good sound from a small indie label--but I listened to the CD extensively on a big reference system and there's none of those small label budgetary concerns here. This is a first-class collection from a talented singer-songwriter and an all-around decent fellow.

More Goodies from Stephen Douglas Wolfe

I'm hanging out at my Syracuse dealer's store, and some guy who looked suspiciously like singer-songwriter Stephen Douglas Wolfe walks in with a bunch of music from Stephen Douglas Wolfe and says, "thank you for reviewing that 7" single from Stephen Douglas Wolfe." He was with another guy who looked suspiciously like Ulf Oesterle from Aux Records.

They handed me the collected works of Stephen Douglas Wolfe--which you can order from his website. If you visit the website, like I did just thirty seconds ago, you'll see Stephen Douglas Wolfe on the home page, walking around in Armory Square in Syracuse, right past the store where I'm now sitting. Wait, just now I looked out the window and Stephen Douglas Wolfe just walked by again! He is everywhere!

On a day where I actually received a lot of new music to review, this was just too cool to ignore. I really like Stephen's 7" single "We'll Live"--and I'm looking forward to the rest of these discs. Thanks Stephen and Ulf for dropping by!

Stephen Douglas Wolfe's We'll Live on 45rpm 7" Single

This record sounds way too good for a guy who's playing at the chicken-and-waffles joint around the corner. Wait, there's more to the story than that.

First, let's go back to LRS Records here in Syracuse. We hooked up with Mark Turley and Nicholas Oliver a few weeks back for the Taste of Syracuse event--I was at the Newport Show at the time, but I was there in spirit. I wound up talking about LRS Records in my last Vinyl Anachronist column for Perfect Sound Forever, and they hooked me up with some tasty vinyl from local Syracuse bands.

A couple of weeks later, I received a visit from more strangers bearing gifts of vinyl--Jen Bort from bettyElm Records (awesome name for a label if you're a David Lynch fan) and Ulf Oesterle from Aux Records. I bored them with tales of my vinyl dedication and expertise and they quickly dropped off armloads of vinyl and backed away cautiously. It's taken me a few weeks to begin my assault on the pile, although I did give everything a quick run-through after Jen and Ulm left. While I really dig most of it, one thing stood out--a 45rpm single from a singer-songwriter named Stephen Douglas Wolfe.

Wolfe has an easy-going, earnest style that occupies that middle ground between folk and Americana--perhaps it's more connected with California country-rock from the '70s. It's mellow yet filled with longing, with catchy melodies and tight musical performances. On these two songs, "We'll Live" and "Wake Up," Wolfe sounds like someone who has been playing stuff like this for years. That doesn't mean over-rehearsed or bland, obviously, it means this guy really inhabits these two songs with every ounce of his being and he's deeply familiar with every note. These songs obviously mean something to him, and that adds another layer of depth. This ain't your daddy's old Seals and Croft albums.

Previously, Wolfe played in two bands--Getaway Driver and Cavaliers. This single is part of a series he's releasing through his pretty nifty website. He's charging $10 for this 7" single, but it's beautifully packaged and it sounds fantastic. It's easily worth it.

As for the comment about the chicken-and-waffles joint? I'm talking about Funk N' Waffles, of course, a true destination in the city of Syracuse. Not only do they serve amazing waffles in both sweet and savory versions, but they're also one of the most popular venues for local Syracuse performers. LRS Records has been promoting a series of shows there every Wednesday in June, and once or twice I've seen Stephen Douglas Wolfe's name on the bill. So I'm thinking about getting some waffles--I like the whole grain ones covered in fresh blueberries--and watching a very intriguing local musician in action.

Now to start digging around deeper in this pile o' music...