The moment you hear a song that stays with you for a while, that's when you know you've found something special - that was Emily Wolfe for me. I walked into a punk rock dive bar one night and heard "Swoon" playing in the background, I immediately asked the bartender for the song before the drink. Even until this day, I will get goosebumps whenever I hear it – a sexy rock song paired with Emily's smooth, sweet vocals; it's perfection.
Speaking of perfection, her second album "Outlier" was recently released and honestly, I couldn't be any more excited, not only because these songs would be a part of my summer but also because Michael Shuman also known as Mikey Shoes (from Mini Mansions and Queens of the Stone Age) was a co-producer. Outlier, is basically, a declaration of independence where Emily sings songs about breaking the mold and celebrating the highs and lows that life offers.
This is how "Outlier" begins with her single, "No Man" which she premiered and played for 'Epiphone Presents’ on her signature Sheraton Stealth and shot live on location at the Gibson Showroom in Austin, Texas – her hometown. It’s an emotional, raw album that engages from the start and continuously electrifies the listener. “Cover of Virtue” and “Damage Control” have both been on repeat ever since I first heard them, I highly consider them my strut songs whenever I need the extra oomph especially after the stuff we've been through - I think we all deserve a kick ass album like this.
Her trademark is her distinctive sultry, rock and roll sound which is what captivates listeners. Along with her heartfelt vocals and the masterpiece of beautifully written intricate lyrics – it’d be hard not to fall in love with her and her musical style. She’s been a force to reckon with as she’s been working non-stop promoting her second album, Outlier, that has been receiving impressive reviews. Wolfe gracefully merges the rock and roll genre along with pop in Outlier, where one song easily transitions to the next song which is very much an art. Song transitions in albums are just as important as the edits in movies - you can just tell where the cuts in the movie are abrupt, but this never happens with Outlier. It’s the type of album that you can play through and say “Wait, no, this is my favorite one.” And then say the same of the next song and so on.
It delightfully marries modern pop and the bluesy, roaring rock and roll that Wolfe is known for – some songs have synths with loud as hell riffs and drums that can be used as motivation for pretty much anything. As a listener, I always love finding parts of myself in songs and “Never Gonna Learn”, hit me hard where she graciously sings, “Maybe I just think too much, watch me sabotage the good that’s coming near’.
Wolfe has also released two videos for “Something Better” and “My Lungs Give Out”. both videos are endearing and profound, especially if you’re a nostalgic person from eating sour ropes for dinner to old school video games, I adore the way that she incorporates her personal style in minimalistic, grunge way.
In 2019, Wolfe released her self-titled, debut album which NPR described as, “Stormy, seductive blues-rock thunder, with riffs for miles.” And now in 2021, her second album, includes all those elements and created a masterpiece for us to indulge in and to break out of any barriers that constrict us. I highly recommend listening to Outlier, it’s the kind of album that will help channel the badass within you.
Author: Karen Silva
