Brooklyn-based duo Hunter & Wolfe separate themselves from many in the Williamsburg indie-rock scene, opting for Elliott Smith/Jeff Buckley naturalism as opposed to stylistic gimmicks or image-first presentations. At many points throughout their new full-length Days and Works, the vocals resemble the tortured yet massively touching croon of Buckley. On a track like “Please”, this is over a stirring composition where scraggly guitars, twangy rhythmic accompaniments, and slight keyboard twinkles make for an entertaining crawl of a rocker. The vocals are on full display, but the instrumental accompaniment provides subtle variations at just the right moment, like the moments around 01:40 where the vocal pitch and keyboard-guitar interplay reflectively plays off one another.
Days and Works also offers up some very interesting folk and folk-rock efforts, from the party-set rollicking infectiousness of opener “La La La” to the minimalist folk plucking of “All My Might”. Listen to these highlights and others via the full album stream below. Days and Works is a highly recommended release from the duo of Michael Maffei and Sundeep Kapur, who comprise one of Williamsburg’s most promising rising acts in Hunter & Wolfe.
