Wolf at the Door howls for more

Knoxville band Wolf at the Door is, from left, Henry Gibson, Gene Priest, Brian Woodruff, Nathan Gilleran and Derek Jones.

KNOXVILLE — By no exaggeration, Wolf at the Door is among the all-around best acts in Knoxville. No speculative Top-5 lists compiled by hype-riders should be alleged without having first witnessed this band in its present form.

So why haven't they received their due acclaim in a scene known to overindulge itself? Perhaps it is because they are still relatively new. It could be that music skimmers lack the patience for the band's slow-building, epic crescendos. Or just maybe it is because only months ago, Wolf at the Door was an undermanned trio struggling to translate its densely layered, climactic swells in a live setting.

Following its initial performances, Wolf at the Door seemed destined to cement its role as a stunningly impressionistic albeit somber studio project, but time makes fools of us all. In a matter of months the band diversified its songwriting portfolio and added two more wolves (bassist Henry Gibson and drummer Nathan Gilleran) to complete its lineup.

Now Wolf at the Door has reversed its status, putting on live shows that parade a rounded emotional spectrum and raise the bar for its painstaking recordings with sonic ambiance so dense, the venue feels as though submerged in warm water — an effect bolstered by the act's nautical subject matter.

The addition of bass was essential to the band's atmospheric style, and Gibson's seasoned vocal abilities add a bonus, availing three-part vocal harmonies with lead vocalist Gene Priest and ivory-tickler Derek Jones. With Gilleran manning drums, the seat once occupied by Priest, shows have elevated their visual stimulation to equal Wolf at the Door's imaginative audio-portraits. With each passing gig, the band raises an already lofty bar.

"Being a drummer myself, when I write songs for this band, I have already nearly planned the drums out in my head," says Priest of the selection. "I think this is a gift and a curse of a drummer-turned-front-man. I obviously never want to tell another musician how to play their instrument or what to play Nathan was hands-down my first and only choice. At the first practice, he came in with no knowledge of the songs, yet everything he played was nearly exactly what I played, only better.

"(Gibson) is one of my favorite front men that I have had the pleasure of playing with. I knew that with him, we would not only gain his amazing abilities to play and sing, but we would also instantly up our stage presence. I feel like we have finally put all of our pieces together, and now it is time to make something happen."

"It has freed me up to play stuff I have always wanted to play on the songs but haven't been able to because I was holding down the rhythm parts," guitarist Brian Woodruff adds. "The shows are a lot more fun now. I'm no longer the only one standing."

The group, whose approach was once structurally simplistic by nature of its size, is now liberated; and Woodruff's inventive, reverb-heavy guitar effects lend distinguishing charm to Wolf at the Door's distinct sound.

Originally influenced primarily by dreary Brit pop, the act has incorporated as many genres as it has members to create something both unique and familiar. The band will have no easy task reproducing the almost tangible electricity of its performances in the studio, but Priest claims to have found the right man for that job as well. Should they succeed in the studio, the band will find little obstruction in acquiring the support needed to begin full touring.

"We will be recording at Delphi Studios here in Knoxville with James Zachary," says Priest. "I have worked with him numerous times, and I have always been very pleased with the outcome and his input.

"We are getting ready to play regional shows very soon, Asheville being the first out of town for us. Ideally my goal is to find a decent independent label that can afford us to get on the road to play some shows and still survive. I would honestly tour nine months out of the year if that is what it took to make that happen."

nRoots scoot 'n boogie: Tonight The Cider House hosts Nappy Roots with Deep Fried 5 and DJ Wigs. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at showtime. Doors open at 9 p.m.

nThere's always room: Saturday Green Jelly (pronounced "Jell-O") plays The Longbranch Saloon with The Dirty Works, The Vivs, Fist of the North Star and The Mackeys. The show is slated for 9 p.m.

© 2011, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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