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THE HARVEST is the latest record from Nashville roots artist Anton Wolfe and is straight out of the 'keep it in the family' playbook. The unique status of this 7-track effort is that all are compositions by Wolfe's father-in-law LJ Halliburton, who appears to be a prolific but largely undiscovered songwriter. It's probably appropriate to call this record a project such is the route of progression and is Wolfe's second record of the year on the back of a 5-track EP released in February.
The standout song from this short sample of both artist's work is the melody driven 'Mississippi' that comes across wonderfully as a galactic collide of 60s lush pop and rough blues. Not your usual bedfellows but it works in this context. The feel of this lauded 3 minutes is in contrast to the understated closer 'Here to Stay' that appears rinsed in melancholy and is one for a pensive moment. This sound is not reflective of the record as exemplified by the uptempo rocking effort 'Til the River No Longer Flows' that holds court in full guitar-mode as the running order turns the corner.
The pivotal song on the release is a curious offering. The partly spoken 'Hello, Mr Wolf' sets the mind pondering on the theme and inspiration. On an easier sound trajectory is the gently rolling starter 'Harvest' that proves a smooth passageway into the record and questions the life-starting properties of the gathering season. We get bluesier and slightly rougher in the self-explained 'New Orleans Going Down'. The collection is completed by the gently swaying memorable number 'Lost Prayers' that probably nestles just below the aforementioned standout as songs to draw on in the future.
Records like THE HARVEST by Afton Wolfe highlight how music can be curated from so many different starting points. For some it may just be a stopping place on a journey following an artist, for others it may be the impetus to explore further. There is sufficient pull from this sample to warrant a deeper dive.
