The Wolf Sleeps Alone
Strat Andriotis
Dekatria Records (stratandriotis2.bandcamp.com/album/the-wolf-sleeps-alone)
The guitarist/composer Strat Andriotis was born in Greece and his family immigrated to Canada when he was four. He lives in Hamilton and has released several earlier albums with different instrumentation such as guitar, piano and violin and a larger group with bass and drums. The Wolf Sleeps Alone uses a basic guitar trio format with Alex Karcza on drums and Vince Di Francesco on bass to perform Andriotis’ nine original tunes.
Bullets begins mysteriously with some tense syncopated chords and then moves into more traditional jazz swing and some rapid picking. Can’t Help Myself starts out swinging with angular guitar lines scampering over a solid bass and drums backing. Caretaker is a bit moodier with some tense chordal parts and then deliberately tentative guitar lines and includes a nice bass solo.
The Wolf Sleeps Alone hangs itself around the guitar playing which can sound hurried, deliberate, introspective and sometimes quite swinging. Andriotis works hard to avoid cliche and presents each chord or note as an original and unique choice. Occasionally the guitar work sounds a bit slapdash, but I believe this is simply a result of always pushing for originality and that is what makes this album interesting and evocative.
Listen to 'The Wolf Sleeps Alone' Now in the Listening Room
