Wolf & Cub - Vessels

Undoubtedly the first thing you’ll notice if you go to see Wolf & Cub live is that they have 2 drummers. It really is quite stupid when you think about it. I mean, surely having half your band on drums isn’t the most efficient way to allocate your resources. Especially when on record, ie this record, it isn’t especially noticeable (close attention will do the trick). But putting such sense aside, I must admit, it’s a pretty cool gimmick. Whilst on the topic of instruments, I should let you know that Wolf & Cub aren’t afraid to let them go alone, with at least two of the ten tracks being complete instrumentals. Normally such action would be seen in my eyes as mere procrastination and therefore undesirable, but somehow Wolf & Cub manage to get away with it. In fact I would say such procrastination is an integral part of their sound. The whole record seems to reflect the particular mood of the band at the time. For a great deal it feels like a relaxed jam, the guitars pick a sound and experiment for a while, vocals pop in and out with no great urgency and the drums just try to outdo each other with whatever comes to mind. But then all of sudden they’ll get a sudden burst of energy and all jump into action. The guitars settle into fast-paced rhythm, the vocals find their purpose and drummers justify their selection, providing direction and intensity. All these sounds gel together perfectly to create heart-racing music. Wolf & Cub hail from one of Australia’s ‘other’ capital cities, Adelaide, and with their debut album prove it is equally capable of producing the best.

This Mess – These two songs are the most likely ones that you’ve heardalready, but I included them regardless because to put it simply, they are the best. By best I mean best at getting you to like them, for the rest took quite a few listens before I’ve came to really appreciate the intricacies.

Steal Their Gold – While both these songs are the best examples of when the band snaps into action, this song is especially good at highlighting the intensity they reach. It’s also like two songs in one; first the radio-worthy piece and then the random instrumentation. Welcome to Wolf & Cub.