Wolf & Cub - Wolf & Cub

Thu 23rd Dec, 2004 in Music Reviews

Come early 2005, I’ll be looking for takers to join my new electro-noise-trash group. Sure, I don’t know how to play a musical instrument, I can’t sing, and I can’t even write songs, but I know the name of the group and it alone guarantees us to do well – we’re going to be called Wolf 101.

You see, 2004 will be remembered as the Year Of The Wolf. Everywhere you looked, Sydney’s Wolfmother were tearin’ shit up with their Sabbath-esque riffs and Homebake and Meredith slots. Brisbane’s awesome Death:Wolf! are tipped as a band to watch in 2005. And over in the UK, a hirsute and unkempt fellow named Wolfman reached #1 with For Lovers, a track featuring Pete Doherty of Libertines/Babyshambles fame. And then there’s Adelaide’s Wolf & Cub.

This is the band’s debut after appearing on the Adelaide scene in late 2003. It’s been a big year for the band, gigging with such luminaries as Canada’s ace duo Death From Above 1979, The Von Bondies as well as Ground Components, Love Of Diagrams and Baseball, to name but several. And the EP’s a good ‘un. Although only 5 tracks long, it offers enough of an introduction to the band to appease both the followers of the band’s live show and the uninitiated. Whilst showing enough experimentation – particularly with studio trickeries – to differ it from other dime-a-dozen releases, the band still generally follow the well-worn-yet-still-interesting path of indie rock meshed with disco-heavy bass as favoured by The Rapture, Bloc Party, and hell, Franz Ferdinand. Ultimately, Wolf & Cub are demonstrates a band with a knack for a catchy tune which will serve them well as they develop in the time before they release their debut album in the new year. Targets kicks things off with booming tribal drums, Mars Volta-esque guitars and screamed yet not prominent in the mix vocals from Joel Byrne. The song, like most of the bands, is chorus-less, solo-less, but the heavy bass and rising and falling guitar lines keep the listener’s interest for over four minutes.

Thousand Cuts possesses a manic guitar line and bass grooves in line with Snap! Crakk! or (former Adelaidians now adopted Melbournians) Bit By Bats. Throw in some handclaps – as they do – and it’s fantastic dancing music. Poison Fang is one of the strongest tracks, with producer Matt Hills (who has also worked with Lights Surprising Constancy) allowing the bass lines prime position in the mix so that they reach out from your stereo and smack you in the face. In a good way. The song ends with nearly three and a half minutes of feedback from detuned guitars before Spirals takes over, all squealing guitar pedal effects over a somewhat refined bass line. Hands Go Down rounds things out with a psych-freak out where the band’s use of two drum kits becomes increasingly prevalent, coupled with tambourines, shakers, and ending with a two-plus minute sound grab of a dripping tap, for no apparent reason other than that it sounds cool.

And then it’s over. It could be said that this release lacks focus, but the somewhat shambolic nature of the tracks are best suited to a live arena, and that is where Wolf & Cub truly impress – all art-rock guitars, feedback and tight vocals. Regardless, this is a strong release hinting at bigger and better things to come from the band in 2005.

And for Wolf 101? I’ll be placing ads in street press soon. “You bring the musical ability, I’ll bring the band name.” I really think I’m onto something.