What began a decade ago as Peter Shilling's GarageBand instrumental sketch has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis. The track's journey from demo to finished article – spanning multiple studios across New South Wales and crossing the Pacific for vocal duties – speaks to a dedication that transcends geographical boundaries. When Craig Small retrieved this dormant composition and began threading lyrics through its framework, he initiated a creative process that would ultimately redefine the song's very identity.
The decision to reimagine the titular wolf as a vengeful female protagonist, inspired by 1990s Japanese anime, proves inspired. This isn't merely a cosmetic change; it fundamentally alters the track's emotional architecture. The lyrical pivot occurred mid-production at The Kill Room studio on the South Coast, demonstrating a willingness to follow creative instincts even deep into the recording process. Such flexibility often yields the most compelling results, and "THE WOLF" benefits enormously from this narrative reconfiguration.
The production itself warrants considerable attention. Split between The Kill Room and SmallSongs studio in the Blue Mountains, the recording unfolded over several months – a timeframe that allowed for proper reflection and refinement. The initial tracking happened swiftly, captured in roughly a day, but the subsequent weeks saw careful layering of additional instrumentation. When Cristina Maria's vocals arrived from the United States, the producers faced a crucial decision: despite having several technically proficient mixes, they chose to strip back certain guitar tracks, creating sonic breathing room between verses and chorus.
This restraint proves crucial to the track's success. Rather than suffocating the arrangement beneath layers of instrumentation – a temptation given Shilling's influences, which range from the fingerstyle virtuosity of Tommy Emmanuel to the stadium-sized soundscapes of U2 – the production allows the vocal performance space to resonate. Small's own eclectic taste, spanning from a-ha's Nordic pop sophistication through Aerosmith's American swagger to Soundgarden's grunge heft, manifests not as confused genre-hopping but as a coherent synthesis.
The collaborative chemistry between Small and Shilling, forged during their shared music course days and subsequently developed through their work with Astral Taxi alongside Paul Cullum, provides the foundation for this assured release. Their partnership benefits from the kind of musical shorthand that only develops through sustained creative dialogue.
Maria's vocal performance deserves particular commendation. Recording remotely might have resulted in disconnection between vocalist and material, yet her delivery conveys both the menace and complexity the vengeful protagonist demands. The anime influence – specifically the morally ambiguous anti-heroines that populated 1990s Japanese animation – provides a rich thematic seam to mine, and the lyrics apparently capture this aesthetic without descending into pastiche.
The instrumental backing balances muscularity with melodic sophistication. One can hear echoes of Small's diverse influences without the track becoming a mere catalogue of reference points. The guitars, even after the judicious editing, retain their presence whilst serving the song rather than dominating it.
"THE WOLF" suggests Craig Small Music possesses both the technical facility and the artistic vision to carve out a distinctive niche. The decade-long gestation period, far from indicating indecision, has allowed this material to develop properly. The finished product rewards patience – both the artists' and the listener's – with a track that reveals new textures upon repeated exposure.
This is confident, internationally-minded rock music that refuses to be bound by conventional expectations. Recommended.