In bustling cities and the ever-changing world of westernization and gentrification, we often find ourselves too caught up in time, unable to appreciate the more peaceful moments in life.
Well, it just so happened that it was luckily a sunny day on Auckland's west coast, when I decided to listen to an album that seemed to slow down time itself and allowed me to fully immerse myself in the nature around me.
After two years of hard work, it is very pleasing to hear that well-travelled and well-heard band Albi & The Wolves have released their debut album, One Eye Open.
The album starts off with a simple but melodic song, Giants In The Sky and progresses to the rapid upbeat country groove of their main hit One Eye Open. The album combines folk and country elements with Albi’s soaring vocals and the sways of the electric fiddle to make an album that pushes your desires to travel and feel at peace.
Albi says that their aim to is to take listeners on a journey with their music, and with a confident 10 out of 10 rating, I can say they safely did that to the best it could be.
After listening to this album, I can really only sum it up by calling it musical food for the soul. Albi & the Wolves will kick their One Eye Open tour off in Kingsland’s Nectar Bar on 9 December 2016, and I’ll be there for sure to hear their sweet new tunes in the flesh.
This is folk music, but not as you know it. Pulling inspiration from a wide spectrum of genres, from swing to bluegrass, soul, R&B, rock and world music, Albi and The Wolves offer a decadent serving of double bass, banjo, and fiddle accompanied by Albi's smooth vocal stylings. These elements come together to create both a potent foot stomping rhythm and a captivating music and stage presence never experienced before.
With this love and respect of music in all its forms, Albi and The Wolves not only offer vibrant and refreshing original songs which burst open the seams of traditional folk music, but they also inject their signature sound into modern classics from artists as diverse as Micheal Jackson, and Pink Floyd.
Since the band's formation in 2014, they have excelled in New Zealand's live music scene, pulling in large crowds with their unique performance style, making it irresistible to dance.