Twenty-Three
Grandiflora, 2023
9/10
The inimitable southern troubadour Afton Wolfe returns with 5 songs that span R&B, Doo Wop, gospel, jazz, blues and folk sounds, and it’s rich with a long list of exceptional players, too.
“Cry” starts the listen with Wolfe’s rugged pipes alongside Mike Miz’s agile guitar, Zachery Gregory’s soulful trumpet and plenty of flowing backing vocals, and “The Moon Is Going Down” follows with a rugged intimacy that welcomes Chad Stuible’s warm keys and Seth Fox’s dreamy flute in the bare, poetic climate.
Halfway through, “Truck Drivin Man” enters darkers areas that benefit from Rebecca Weiner Tompkins’ stirring violin, Asa Lane’s moody percussion and Bretty Ryan Stewart’s strategic bass, while “So Purple” places Hayden Cotcher on drums, Daniel Seymour on autoharp and highlights Fox’s flute acrobatics for the EPs best track.
At the end, “Late Nite Radio” focuses on Justin Amaral’s restrained drums, Robin Wolfe’s pretty voice and Stuible’s graceful keys amid Wolfe’s gravelly demeanor and eloquent song craft that finishes the affair much too early.
It’s not hard to imagine Tom Waits, Randy Newman or Otis Redding when listening to Wolfe, and his authentic, heartfelt and substantial art is understandably making him many new fans thanks to his distinct brand of Americana.
Travels well with: Laura Zucker- Lifeline; Peach & Quiet- Beautiful Thing