Sea Wolf - Get To The River Before It Runs Too Low

Genre rock Publisher Dangerbird Records External Links Official Sea Wolf Website Official Dangerbird Records Website

Let's face the music, it is hard to get pumped up while listening to an EP of any artist. It is kind of like going to a five star restaurant and you only get to try the appetizers and maybe a bite or two of the main meal. Still, the EP can be worthwhile as it can showcase a new band and whet the appetite for a future full-length release.

This is the case with Sea Wolf's Get to the River Before It Runs Too Low. In fact, the five songs on the release are so impressive that you can not wait to hear the whole thing all over again which is not bad for something that lasts only twenty minutes long.

Alex Brown Church, who was the bassist for a little known band called Irving, is the brainchild behind Sea Wolf and he makes an interesting debut that is most notable because of its songs' bold arrangements and fine story telling lyrics.

The EP opens with "You're A Wolf" which grabs your attention with an eerie guitar and a mysterious cello but it also has fun with some strange lyrics about gypsies, wolves, and wine. What it all means is anybody's guess but it feels inviting. The second track, "The Garden That You Planted,"is more subdued but it is rather tender and Church's restrained, almost whisper-like vocal style is perfect for the song.

The standout song is "I Made A Resolution" which is outstanding as Church gets some fine work from other musicians to make a full band sound. The propulsive drums and layers of strings may remind many of Arcade Fire but there is also something else going on here. The song's lyrics about a son recalling his troublesome family problems and trying to rise above them would be perfect for Johnny Cash to sing if he were still alive. Church's ethereal voice only adds to that notion.

The final two tracks do not register as well as the previous three but they are no slouches. "Ses Monuments" is the most commercial as it uses an infectious beat to tell its tale while the closer is the most simple with no drums or guitar, just keyboards and harmonium.

In the end, Get to the River... does what a decent EP should do as it makes you eager for what will be coming next from the artist. Best of all, listeners who enjoy this recording will not have to wait long for Sea Wolf's next project as it will be released in September.