There’s this moment when you first hear a song, when you know you’ve found something special. The artist makes a profound impact, and you know they will stay with you for a while.
That’s Emily Wolfe for me.
I walked into a punk rock dive bar one night a few years back, and this intoxicating melody was playing in the background. I immediately asked the bartender for the name of the tune before I even ordered my drink. It was called “Swoon,” and to this day, I still get goosebumps whenever I hear it – a sexy rock song paired with smooth, sweet vocals. It’s perfection.
So, when I heard that Wolfe had released her second album, I got very excited. Entitled Outlier and released independently, these songs immediately became my soundtrack for Summer 2021. It’s an autobiographical declaration of independence in which Wolfe sings about breaking the mold and celebrating the highs and lows of life.
I think we all deserve such a kickass album.
Wolfe’s 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.
Kicking off with the lead single, “No Man,” Outlier engages the listener from the start and continuously electrifies throughout. It’s is the type of album where you’ll finish one song and declare, “This is my favorite one,” only to keep listening and say the same thing about nearly each and every song. “Cover of Virtue” and “Damage Control” have both been on repeat ever since I first heard them. They’re two of my favorite “strut songs.” I put them on whenever I needed the extra oomph to get through some of the darker moments of 2021.
I always love finding parts of myself in songs.
“Never Gonna Learn” hit me hard when Wolfe graciously sings, “Maybe I just think too much, watch me sabotage the good that’s coming near.” I adore the way that she incorporates her personal style in minimalistic, yet grungy way.
Wolfe has released two videos for “Something Better” and “My Lungs Give Out.” Both are endearing and profound, especially if you’re a nostalgic person who remembers back to the days of eating sour ropes for dinner while playing old school video games.
Outlier builds upon the blues-rock power of Emily Wolfe’s 2019 self-titled debut to create a masterpiece that encourages listeners to break out of any barriers that constrict us. Song transitions are just as important as the edits in movies. You can often just tell where the cuts in the movie are abrupt, but this never happens with this album. Some songs have synths with loud as hell riffs and drums that can be used as motivation for pretty much anything.
Emily Wolfe gracefully merges her brand of bluesy, roaring rock with modern pop, and she artfully knows how to easily flow one song into another. I highly recommend Outlier, as it will help channel the badass within you.