When I asked my little brother who Timberwolf was, he responded: “Only the artist behind my top track of 2017.”
I’ll admit, I was a little hazy on the Adelaide artist’s discography specifics but was undeniably drawn to his comparably hazy sounds.
An intimate group of supporters turned out to his performance at The Foundry (9 March), huddled close to the stage as he and his band quietly entered.
Chris Panousakis (Timberwolf) started the set with his debut album closer ‘Seabird’, airy and psychedelic, gradually easing into the ever-simplistic ‘Misunderstood’, only two verses repeated and amplified with a beautiful saxophone solo.
The blues and roots twang to his music shone with ‘Vulnerable Heart’, all textbook feel-good, like the soundtrack of a romantic movie. He read my mind as I quietly pondered the consistent, underlying theme in his music, announcing: “I released a love record, when realistically, all people seem to want to hear right now is political.”
“This song’s about masturbation,” he next admitted, chuckling along with the crowd as the band began to play ‘Why Won’t You Love Me’.
The 2017 single was an absolute star among the set list, emotion drenched and absorbing. The crowd was silent as all instruments momentarily ceased, Chris ripping into the chorus; my brother turned to me and whispered: “That’s my favourite part.”
Covers seem to be more commonly included into set lists and while I believe they can be massive hits, or misses, Timberwolf’s was probably one of my most commendable. He and the band performed a brilliant rendition of Childish Gambino’s ‘Redbone’, vocals nothing short of Donald Glover’s high-range pipes.
2018 single ‘Jacaranda Sunsets’ was described as “A song about where I grew up”; I closed my eyes and imagined it playing comfortably beneath the breezy, beach-based Corona advertisements.
“I don’t really like doing the whole ‘encore’ thing, these are my last couple of songs,” Chris humbly revealed, the crowd (myself included) cheering with approval. His self-titled album track ‘Ikaros’ came next, built with similar sentiments as the previous though grounded by particularly poetic lyrics.
He closed the set with ‘Washed Out’, a song that in my opinion demonstrates the most instrumental strength, a musical direction I’d blindly follow him down if he was to continue venturing.
Folk music has sadly been marginalised in recent years though Timberwolf has cleverly given the genre a modern twist; he’s entwined an almost reggae-like influence with psychedelic tones and as a result, produced an extremely interesting, easy-listening sound.
Easy-listening without being dull, I assure you; his lyricism may be ‘pretty’ and naturalistic however it’s also brimming with plenty of deep, emotional pull.
The band is full of emerging performers, with each musician perhaps playing their instrument a little too intently. Though that didn’t take away from the fact they played them capably and with care.
Though the quality that sets Timberwolf apart from the infinite pool of upcoming artists is without a doubt Chris’ exceptional vocals. In the recordings I feel his voice can be a little lost among the wishy-washy tones but live, his singing is awe-inspiring, impossible not to be wowed by.
Despite me having been a little hazy on his discography specifics I strangely felt as though I recognised many of the songs he performed.
Perhaps I’d heard them before, but have a listen and see; I can’t help but wonder whether it’s simply Timberwolf’s compelling songwriting that makes the music feel warm and familiar, almost as if it’s mimicking nostalgia.
