The Ghost Wolves

Former Belleville Outfit drummer Jonathan Konya and manic guitarist Carley Wolf make gritty garage blues rock on their debut EP. - Austin 360

This past year has seen a strong resurgence of electro-influenced bands in Austin, but this two-piece, with their raw sound and refusal to layer up their instruments, stayed closer to the roots of Texas music. Their gritty blues at times sound like punk with an aggressive tone and heavy distortion and that’s just fine with us. - OVRLD.com

Oh holy shit. This guit-drum duo will make a man outta any of you little boys within earshot, and as for any of you l'il gals... whew. And sorry to the over-protective mamas and papas out there, but all those young maidens of yours can now consider themselves permanently despoiled.

The Ghost Wolves hail from Austin and comprise lead howler/twanger Carley Wolf plus ace percussion-demolition specialist (and co-vocalist) Jonathan Konya. One can ruminate all day long on other such inclined outfits from Black Keys (with whom there is a clear kinship that should not be overlooked, given the Keys' current ascendancy... looking at YOU, marketers!) and White Stripes, to such seminal combos as Flat Duo Jets and The Cramps (yes, I know that was a quartet and not a two-piece, work with me here folks!), but in doing so one would also waste valuable time by not getting to the crux of the matter. Case in point: in the time it took to write that sentence, yours truly almost missed out on the raw, brutal Johnny Burnette riff that the pair snuck into the middle of their rockabilly deconstruction anthem "Broke Joke." Catch my drift? "Oh darlin', I understand / ‘Cos you can't get somethin' if you don't got a dollar in your hand," sings Konya, as Wolf chimes in at the end like a young PJ Harvey in heat, and in truth these folks sound like they've lived the punk blues they're channeling.

Bottom line: this 6-song mini-album is primal, grungy, lo-fi, disruptive, exhilarating stuff. From the sleazy-but-sleek slide-guit throb of the Wolf-sung "Gonna Live" to the guy-gal back of forth of the sassy, sexy "Snake and Jake Shake" in all its snare-trashing, fretboard-stuttering glory, In Ya Neck is the medicine for what ails ya. Lord knows, there's a lot of stuff out there these days that's been making me feel kinda ill; I could use the pick-me-up. How about you?





Incidentally, the Wolves kick off a December tour next week that'll take ‘em from Texas across to the east coast, and after that, in late January and throughout February, they'll be hosting a regular Monday night residency at the storied Lakeside Lounge. Lord knows what kinda mischief Carley and Jon will be getting into while cruising ‘round the Big Apple, but we will be eagerly awaiting any and all progress reports.... - Blurt Online

Was wurde eigentlich aus den White Stripes? Genau, die Vergangenheit! Nicht, dass Jack and Megan White das letzte Rock 'n' Roll Paar ever gewesen wären. Da gibt es zum Beispiel noch die Kills oder die Ghost Wolves aus Texas. Noch härter, staubiger und traditionsbewusster als die White Stripes arbeiten sich Carley Wolf und Jonathan Konya an den ewigen, in drei Minuten abgehandelten Wahrheiten zwischen Prärie und Jukebox ab. Ein Newcomer-Portrait von Christian Lehner.

ENGLISH:

What was actually from the White Stripes? Exactly, the past! Not that Jack and Megan White, the last rock 'n' roll couple had ever been. There is, for example, even the enemies or the Ghost Wolves of Texas. Even harder, dustier and traditional than the White Stripes are Carley Wolf and Jonathan Konya work on the eternal truths from treated of in three minutes between prairie and jukebox. A portrait by newcomer Christian Lehner. - radio fm4

The Ghost Wolves are a new project from former Belleville Outfit drummer Jonathan Konya and folk/rockabilly musician Carly Wolf. In the tradition of guitar-and-drums duos like the White Stripes, the Ghost Wolves offer their own take on traditional blues rock, with Wolf merging her fingerpicking electric guitar style and attitude-filled vocals with Konya's noisy drumming. The Ghost Wolves' energy and potential lift their live show, which finds Wolf flying around the stage, and they manage to translate some of that energy to the album, where their big, gritty sound renders their bass-less status a nonissue. - Austin-American Statesman

It’s no secret that the Ghost Wolves’ owe part of their following to the vision and talent of post-millennial blues-rocker Jack White.

As White Blood Cells made the Delta blues ‘cool’ again – albeit by way of Led Zeppelin – Carley ‘Carazy’ Wolf was channelling her own inner blues. Born into a musical Texan family, Wolf quickly mastered the piano and the acoustic; and seeking “something more electric” – thanks to the influence of rockabilly musician Johnny Falstaff – set to work on a sound that compliments Jonathan ‘Little Hammer’ Konya’s “Del McCoury-meets-John Bonham,” style of playing.

From the opening, bluegrass twang of ‘Gonna Live’, to the gorgeous live recording of ‘First Love’, it is clear that the duo’s relentless gigging – as well as their strong musical heritage – has produced a collection of tracks that is both exhilarating and infectious.

The stop-start sleaze of ‘Broke Joke’ ebbs and flows with the sneering attitude of PJ Harvey, while the shimmy of ‘The Snake and Jake Shake’ is fun-filled garage. Stylised and sexually-charged, Wolf and Konya’s chemistry is, at times, electric; and just like the White Stripes before them, the Ghost Wolves are bringing authentic blues-rock to a new generation of followers. - Chybucca Sounds - U.K.

We've covered some "legacy-rock" bands in this space before - The Beat Dolls, MoTel Aviv, Wild Child, to name a few. And we've covered some 2-person bands before - Before Dawn, Killa Dilla, BK & Mr. E, Not in the Face...

So you won't be surprised if we tell you about a duo that does "roots rock", will ya? Good, because you've got to hear The Ghost Wolves.

There they are. That's Carley Wolf on the left and Jonathan Konya on the right. And the dog, and that's it.

Wolf sings and plays guitar, Konya sings and plays drums. And they crank out some seriously deadly stuff, described by better scribes than we as "juke joint spook blues". Both are veterans of the music industry, with a killer work ethic and lengthy resumes (and presumably the scars to match). They formed in May of 2010, recorded their debut LP "In Ya Neck" in April of 2011, then hit the touring trail in August.

They've been pressed to pieces, so if you want, you can drill down easily enough: Check out this piece on Austin 360, or this one over on Overload, or this one in the Knoxsville press.

That's them in action, snapped during their residency at the Lakeside Lounge in NYC. Imagine what that sounds like, with Wolf's guitar twanging and Konya's drums bounding off those brick walls, and you've got a head start on what to expect - "Roots rock" at it's very best; archaic, folk-bluesy head-bang, noisily reverberated and performed with sloppy passion. Check out this one for a taste, and Sure, go ahead and listen to it several times before moving on: We did.
They're able to present the very best of the lovely deep traditions of rock; primitive song structure, pleasingly-familiar progressions, face-melting riffs, unfettered noisy productions. Check out this one, notice how easy it is to whip out the air guitar and jam along:
We could go on, but you should discover the rest of the EP, in it's purely-raw state, all on your own - It's embedded below.

We'll recommend that you catch them next chance you get, and those chances are coming: They're touring until the end of 2011, on pace to cross the country twice before the year is out. They've got two Austin gigs coming up, 11/15 at The Continental Club, then their official CD release party for "In Ya Neck" on 11/19 at Beerland, find out more about that one here.

Nope, don't go until you've prepped yourself for that CD release party: - Austin Independent Music

We've covered some "legacy-rock" bands in this space before - The Beat Dolls, MoTel Aviv, Wild Child, to name a few. And we've covered some 2-person bands before - Before Dawn, Killa Dilla, BK & Mr. E, Not in the Face...

So you won't be surprised if we tell you about a duo that does "roots rock", will ya? Good, because you've got to hear The Ghost Wolves.

There they are. That's Carley Wolf on the left and Jonathan Konya on the right. And the dog, and that's it.

Wolf sings and plays guitar, Konya sings and plays drums. And they crank out some seriously deadly stuff, described by better scribes than we as "juke joint spook blues". Both are veterans of the music industry, with a killer work ethic and lengthy resumes (and presumably the scars to match). They formed in May of 2010, recorded their debut LP "In Ya Neck" in April of 2011, then hit the touring trail in August.

They've been pressed to pieces, so if you want, you can drill down easily enough: Check out this piece on Austin 360, or this one over on Overload, or this one in the Knoxsville press.

That's them in action, snapped during their residency at the Lakeside Lounge in NYC. Imagine what that sounds like, with Wolf's guitar twanging and Konya's drums bounding off those brick walls, and you've got a head start on what to expect - "Roots rock" at it's very best; archaic, folk-bluesy head-bang, noisily reverberated and performed with sloppy passion. Check out this one for a taste, and Sure, go ahead and listen to it several times before moving on: We did.
They're able to present the very best of the lovely deep traditions of rock; primitive song structure, pleasingly-familiar progressions, face-melting riffs, unfettered noisy productions. Check out this one, notice how easy it is to whip out the air guitar and jam along:
We could go on, but you should discover the rest of the EP, in it's purely-raw state, all on your own - It's embedded below.

We'll recommend that you catch them next chance you get, and those chances are coming: They're touring until the end of 2011, on pace to cross the country twice before the year is out. They've got two Austin gigs coming up, 11/15 at The Continental Club, then their official CD release party for "In Ya Neck" on 11/19 at Beerland, find out more about that one here.

Nope, don't go until you've prepped yourself for that CD release party: - Austin Independent Music

Carley Wolf (guitar & vocals) and Jonathan Konya (drums & vocals) are what make up this Austin, Texas duo called, The Ghost Wolves. They have a sound that I like to compare to Flat Duo Jets, The Kills, and of course The White Stripes.


They self released their first EP In Ya Neck! in April of this year. The songs on this EP give off vibrations of backwoods folk-blues infused with psychobilly that really are interesting, fast paced and in your face. I’m really interested to see what comes next from this band. They have an awesome and unique style that isn’t too common these days.

Link to The Ghost Wolve’s bandcamp page where you can listen to the EP and buy it!

http://theghostwolves.bandcamp.com/
- Rabbit's Black Music Blog - LA & SF

INDIE MUSIC FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD



Two bands out of music mecca Austin, Texas, are stopping in Flag for a pre-party before the Halloween weekend. The Asteroid Shop delivers an alternative ambient sound that is part Mazzy Star and part Pink Floyd. Touring with them is the duo The Ghost Wolves, which dial up the amplifiers, marrying spooky blues with a little bit of 1960s rock ‘n’ roll. The free show starts at 8 p.m. at the Green Room, 15 N. Agassiz. For more info, dial 226-8669, or check out www.myspace.com/theasteroidshop and www.theghostwolves.com. - Flagstaff Live

INDIE MUSIC FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD



Two bands out of music mecca Austin, Texas, are stopping in Flag for a pre-party before the Halloween weekend. The Asteroid Shop delivers an alternative ambient sound that is part Mazzy Star and part Pink Floyd. Touring with them is the duo The Ghost Wolves, which dial up the amplifiers, marrying spooky blues with a little bit of 1960s rock ‘n’ roll. The free show starts at 8 p.m. at the Green Room, 15 N. Agassiz. For more info, dial 226-8669, or check out www.myspace.com/theasteroidshop and www.theghostwolves.com. - Flagstaff Live

INDIE MUSIC FROM OUT OF THIS WORLD



Two bands out of music mecca Austin, Texas, are stopping in Flag for a pre-party before the Halloween weekend. The Asteroid Shop delivers an alternative ambient sound that is part Mazzy Star and part Pink Floyd. Touring with them is the duo The Ghost Wolves, which dial up the amplifiers, marrying spooky blues with a little bit of 1960s rock ‘n’ roll. The free show starts at 8 p.m. at the Green Room, 15 N. Agassiz. For more info, dial 226-8669, or check out www.myspace.com/theasteroidshop and www.theghostwolves.com. - Flagstaff Live

Pirei em “Gonna Live”, na vibe White Stripes, na voz de Dolly Parton, nas botas, no conversível, no baterista perto do teto… sensacional.

English:

Freaked out in "Gonna Live," the White Stripes vibe, sung by Dolly Parton, the boots, the convertible, the drummer near the ceiling ... sensational. - Boom Monster Bop - Brazil

Picture a dark room with a small crowd and a cozy atmosphere. The dim lights in the crowd died down and the stage was illuminated with light and intense sound. An electric guitar captured the attention of the whole room as a new band, the Ghost Wolves, brought their unique sound to Bloomington’s Castle Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 2.

The Ghost Wolves, who are on their first tour to promote their new album “In Ya Neck!” is a Texas-based band featuring guitarist/singer Carley Wolf and Normal native drummer/singer Jonathan Konya.

The duo draws their unique sound from blues, rock, punk and some country vibes, known as rockabilly. Konya best describes their sound as an “explosion.” He credits their musical inspiration to musicians such as Alan and John Lomax, Ronnie Dawson, early American folk and Appalachian music as well as other lesser known artists.

“Picking one person would be a hard thing to pinpoint I think,” Konya added.

The duo, who played with many other bands, such as The Belleville Outfit, The Happen-Ins and rockabilly singer Johnny Falstaff, met in 2007 at a folk festival in Texas. Soon, the two of them began talking and playing together occasionally, but it was not until May 2010 the idea for a band came up.


Melissa Mamroth / Daily Vidette Photographer: Carley Wolf, lead singer and guitarist of Ghost Wolves, plays at Castle Theatre in Bloomington on Sunday night. “It’s really an honor to be here tonight in such a beautiful place with such beautiful people,” Wolf said.



Wolf and Konya wanted to play the kind of music that could be heard over a bustling crowd, since Wolf’s talents had been drowned out by background noise at past shows.

“In Ya Neck!” is an energetic album featuring the anthem and first track “Gonna Live” where the Ghost Wolves enthusiastically invited the audience to sing along at the show. The album also includes songs such as “Snake and Jake Shake” a dancy tune about a bar in New Orleans, “Big Star,” “Broke Joke,” “Curl up and Dye” and the last track on the album with a sound set apart from the other songs, “First Love.”

A story of regret, the song showcases Wolf’s voice, which can best be described as bubblegum sweet with an edge. “First Love” alternates between the sad solemn drawls of heartbreak to the guitar slamming beats of anger of what could have been, a perfect description of the pain of a first love’s loss.

Konya and Wolf, who are a real-life couple, have incredible chemistry during the show, making their music even more compelling.

When they are on stage, you can feel that they have a passion for everything they do, and that each song means something to them.

“I like them all, I couldn’t pick one; I love the whole thing. I really like how the whole thing turned out,” Konya said of the album’s songs.

Konya also expressed his love for being a part of the band.

“Getting to play music all the time is top of the list … also just being able to go out and travel and interact with people every day and every night, the human aspect of music and experiencing it,” he said.

“You have to have the band and the crowd to make a show … it feels good to be out talking to people, making people happy,” Konya said.

The Ghost Wolves also commend their fans and supporters.


Melissa Mamroth / Daily Vidette Photographer: Ghost Wolves, a rock & roll duo of guitarist Carley Wolf and drummer Jonathan Konya, slow it down for a simple love song.



“We feel really thankful to be able to do it. It takes a lot of opportunities and great people … I had a lot of good people around me,” Konya said.

“It’s really an honor to be here tonight in such a beautiful place with such beautiful people,” Wolf said at the show.

Konya had an unwavering love for music ever since he began playing drums at the age of 13, and also credits his grandfather as a big supporter and inspiration to his musical career. Wolf, who studied recording engineering and classical guitar, has performed for almost all her life.

After hearing the Ghost Wolves’ unique brand of music and watching them jam out on stage with Wolf fully clad in a glittering white wolf costume, may make some wonder where the band got their name.

“Carley’s family raise their own breed of dog that’s a derivative of wolves…the oldest alpha male died and we were on his land a month after he died…and Carley saw his ghost,” Konya said.

“It was a life changing experience…a lot of inspiration came from that.”

Konya remembers that as soon as Wolf saw the ghost, the other dogs began to howl.

The dogs, which are very special to Wolf’s family and the band, are taken to each show.

Last night, as Wolf and Konya rocked out in Bloomington, a wolf-dog named Winter lie on stage, peacefully napping during the jam session.

The Ghost Wolves are planning on visiting the Bloomington-Normal area again in the spring, so watch out for concert dates and put the Ghost Wolves on your calendar.
- The Daily Vidette, Bloomington IL

Carley Wolf and Jonathan Konya are the Ghost Wolves, and they're liquid awesome! Don't believe us? Check out "Gonna Live" on the soundcloud player below. Although their sound is undeniably a modern cocktail of garage rock and delta slide blues, their sound will take you back to a time when music was better, bands had more personality, and songs had soul.

We just got their new EP, In Ya Keck!, and have only one complaint: We need more songs! You couldn't hit the track forward button on this disc if you wanted to. It's that good. Write infor@theghostwolves.com to get yours. We were more than impressed to see that ours came with a hand-bound booklet personally signed by them. How cool is that?


Siren Rock: Where do you get your songwriting inspiration?

Carley Wolf: Inspiration can be in every direction, it just depends on your outlook and state of mind. Emotions and beautiful things bring melodies and ideas. What I am passionate about comes out in music; friendships, love, anger, world issues. This morning I was dreaming in song.

SR: What first attracted you to the guitar?

CW: My dad plays guitar and sings, as well as most of my extended family members. This is how I was brought up so it was a natural progression for me to take interest. My grandmother on my dad's side passed when I was just a baby, but I have always looked at a picture of her playing the guitar and wanted to connect with her spirit in that way.

SR: If you had to sum up the difference between the Ghost Wolves and the Howls (your other project) in a word, what would it be and why?

CW: The difference? Electricity. If The Howl is a gentle wave, The Ghost Wolves is a Tsunami.

SR: What words of wisdom do you have to offer endeavoring female musicians?

CW: If what you are doing makes you feel good and it feels right, keep doing it. Listen to your heart and ignore what anyone has to say about what you should be doing. Continue to play music to help you through all of the joys and challenges in life. Do it for yourself and what needs to follow will follow. Believe it. - Siren Rock Blog

See URL - live radio show, BP Fallon plays entirety of "In Ya Neck!" - BP Fallon

his edition of Lost in Austin brings you our homegrown favorites, Ghost Wolves. Follow the jump for more.


The Ghost Wolves have been hard at work over the last year, preparing their bluesy-folk for the masses. They’ve just released their In Ya Neck EP via their BANDCAMP page, and you’d be silly not to get your hands on it now, as the rest of the world is sure to catch on soon.

This edition was filmed at the band’s “shack” by our dear friends over at Guerrilla Waltz, and it features the father of lead singer, Carly, whose role as a breeder of wolf/dog hybrids led to the storied naming of the band. Legend has it that the name arose out of a sighting of the ghost of a recently deceased family dog. It’s said that Carly spotted the ghost dog/wolf leading a pack of other animals through her familiy’s land. Such a vision is bond to influence anyone, so the band immediately used it to establish their working moniker.

Musically, you’ll find hints of popular acts in the mainstream such as The White Stripes, but you can definitely feel a bit of Texas lurking in both the music, and the video. At times, Carly sounds a bit more ferocious than comparable groups, but that sort of passion only strengthens the band’s sound. We’re really excited about this group, and we hope you enjoy this edition of Lost in Austin. Don’t forget to visit the band and purchase their recent EP, In Ya Neck. - Austin Town Hall

The Rumble was back in town featuring three local acts. Hosted ever so graciously by Beerland, ATH joined a Wednesday night crowd for the mystery beer special and The Asteroid Shop, Bali Yaaah, and The Ghost Wolves.

The Ghost Wolves raised brows, putting on a great power duo performance, even covered a Mountain tune. A complete contrast, Bali Yaaah shared their blend of dance, worldbeat and psych. The Asteroid Shop brought big anthems of Indie-Alt. - Austin Town Hall

The Rumble was back in town featuring three local acts. Hosted ever so graciously by Beerland, ATH joined a Wednesday night crowd for the mystery beer special and The Asteroid Shop, Bali Yaaah, and The Ghost Wolves.

The Ghost Wolves raised brows, putting on a great power duo performance, even covered a Mountain tune. A complete contrast, Bali Yaaah shared their blend of dance, worldbeat and psych. The Asteroid Shop brought big anthems of Indie-Alt. - Austin Town Hall

When people talk about music in Miami, the buzz is usually about its nightclub scene, and with good reason: Some of the world’s hottest dance-music venues are in the Magic City, including Mansion, Space and LIV, and they routinely attract the biggest DJs on the planet, especially during Winter Music Conference week every March. But it’s not all about the big electronic beats down here - live music is also alive and well.
Of course, there are tried-and-true, globally adored acts passing through in the midst of national and world tours, such as Duran Duran (Oct. 11 at the Hard Rock Live), Taylor Swift (Nov. 13 at the AmericanAirlines Arena), Jay-Z and Kanye West (Nov. 14 at the BankAtlantic Center and Nov. 15 at the AAA), Judas Priest’s farewell tour (Dec. 1 at the Bayfront Amphitheater), Janet Jackson (Dec. 5 at the Fillmore Miami Beach) and Diana Krall (Feb. 11 at the Kravis Center).
But several new hot spots have popped up over the past year that focus more on smaller-scale shows that satisfy a variety of musical cravings. Two such places are the Performing Arts Exchange (PAX) on Calle Ocho, which offers the best in groovy Latin and world music, with groups including Conjunto Progreso, Suenalo and Afro Kumbe; and The Stage in Miami’s Design District, a laid-back joint that blends Latin rock (PALO, Spam All-Stars), hip-hip fusion (ArtOfficial) and alt-rock (Radioboxer).
And at the intimate Green Room, which opened in January next door to Revolution in Fort Lauderdale, you can tap into your more adventurous, artistic side. Immerse yourself into a truly diverse mix of entertainment - live jazz, blues, indie-rock and even burlesque shows - while perusing local artists’ works hanging throughout the space. Call it a welcome slice of New York cool.
"It’s not your typical lit-up nightclub where you’re looking at red ropes and all the glitz and the glam," says owner Jeff John, 34, who also started Revolution eight years ago. "You have art on the walls, almost like a gallery in the old manufacturing, industrial centers in New York or Chicago. It’s more underground, artsy, darker – a city-feel."
Green Room takes a different approach than most local clubs.
“Our mentality is one of the arts, whether it’s exhibitions supporting local artists or local, indie bands,” John says. “I’m from Chicago, and I had a lot of friends in the art scene when I was growing up, and whether they were photographers or artists, it’s not an easy go sometimes. So whether the artists are drawing or painting to the music, or hanging their pieces around the walls to get exposure and actually sell them, we don’t take any of the profits. We just want to expose the local artists and let them make some money and get seen."
Musically, you can expect the eclectic at the Green Room. Past shows have featured indie DJ Panic Bomber, nu-Gothic rockers Astari Nite and emo-troubadour John Ralston. At the new weekly Black Fridays night, things get a little stranger, with musical offerings ranging from darkwave, post-punk, EBM, downtempo and even something called witch house, which is far more sonically pleasing than its name might imply.
And though the Green Room focuses heavily on local acts, several notable national acts are scheduled to hit the stage. Upcoming highlights include The Dirty Names, a gritty Maryland band reminiscent of early Rolling Stones and The Who; L.A. indie-rock band Toy Bombs; and an Austin, Texas, showcase with alt-country band The Asteroid Shop and the bluesy fuzz-rock of Ghost Wolves.
"We just wanted something different in Fort Lauderdale that you can’t find," says marketing and sales director Ashlie Rolfe, 27, who books some of the bands and all of the art for exhibit. Rolfe. "So that’s why we looked into the indie and art crowd, because it’s so hard to come across."
The venue itself stands out.
"Whenever someone walks in, they’re ‘wowed,’ ” John says. “You know, that building’s been there since 1926, and it’s been so many things over the years – an ammunition factory, a meat-processing slaughterhouse, and then the clubs."
The Green Room isn’t trying to bring South Beach flash up north – .it’s cultivating its own style.
"One thing that’s been very clear to me is Fort Lauderdale is not South Beach," John says. "It’s an entirely different universe. We’ve seen the growth of this indie crowd, these different indie DJs and indie bands, and it’s become very popular. And to tie that in with the art community was a good fit – a place that encompasses the arts, whether it’s live music, DJs, physical artists or dancers."


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/09/17/2412044/top-acts-coming-but-local-music.html#ixzz1YKJLUpag - The Miami Herald

With nothing but a four-piece drum kit and a hollow-bodied guitar equipped with only one pickup, the Ghost Wolves’ onstage rig is anything but Texas-sized. Rather, it’s a study in defying the standard laws of minimalism, and the two-man (well, one man and a lady) Delta freakblues outfit stands as proof that you don’t need the biggest instruments to fill a room with a witch's brew that's haunting in its simplicity -- haunting, period - Austin Music Weekly

Austin, Texas, duo The Ghost Wolves are scheduled to howl into town Sept. 24-25 for performances on the WDVX Blue Plate Special and at Preservation Pub.

Check out their bluesy rock sounds via the Ghost Wolves Bandcamp page. The "guitar/drum blues/rock explosion" will perform on the Blue Plate Special noon-1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, and hit the Preservation Pub stage on Sunday evening, Sept. 24. - Knoxnews.com

"In Ya Neck," the debut release from Austin, Texas based duo, the Ghost Wolves is an incendiary six-tune EP responsible for puttin' the shake in your shimmy and the roll within your rock. Lead singer and guitarist, Carley "Carazy" Wolf, and drummer Jonathan "Little Hammer" Konya, have clearly done their homework and are channeling their inner delta blues knowledge and throwing those roots into a cement mixer with '60s-esque garage rock — spinning it in such a fashion that certainly draws comparison to early White Stripes and Black Keys output.

Such comparisons are all fine and well, but at the end of the day the aural sonic assault that bashes past your eardrums is an entity all of their own. Wolf's charismatic trebly howl, paired with her toothy grit and wail guitar playing is the perfect compatriotic compliment to Konya's competent and confident skin pounding tendencies. The Ghost Wolves are out to get ya, draw you in, and keep haunting you long after you've taken the headphones off.

The two wolves, from a singular standpoint, come from a more acoustic based background, but with a mutual appreciation to explore and expound upon something more electric and bombastic, they united as one — and the end product is an experience that yearns to be cranked up loudly. "In Ya Neck" belongs in ya head. Straight up.

"At some point in late 2009, Carley reached a point where the acoustic sound wasn't doing it for her anymore," said Konya in a recent interview. "She had just kind of had her fill of that sound, and she started getting a hankering for the electric guitar. This hankering was compounded by some experiences we had at the time. First, we were both involved in a record by a rock 'n' roll band called The Happen-Ins, which featured some very gritty electric guitar work, by some of our favorite musicians from Austin.

"Also, not too long after this, Carley did a tour through Europe on the upright bass with a rock-a-billy guitarist/singer from Houston named Johnny Falstaff, who had been a musical hero of hers since she was a teenager. And he really kills it on the Telecaster, with the B-Bender and all that! I would go out to their warm up shows state-side and watch, and I loved it too. For the past few years, I had also been performing at a lot of Bluegrass festivals and digging on that sound, but always wanting to play some heavy drums along to it! Like, Del McCoury meets John Bonham! So for the two of us, who were both used to performing in the acoustic spectrum, these experiences really started to draw us in an electric direction. It just clicked, in a lot of ways."

The Ghost Wolves will be making their debut area appearance at the Stone Church Meeting House in Newmarket on Friday, Sept. 2. If their live show is anything like their recorded work, once the music starts it will inevitably seep its way into your bloodstream and take over your very being. Body parts will begin to surrender themselves into what will amount to a sea of bobbing and flailing. Again, the Ghost Wolves are out to get ya. And it's pretty much guaranteed they'll get the job done.
- Spotlight Magazine - Seacoast Media

I don’t try to hide the fact that I regularly read lots of other Austin music blogs – what some might call our “competitors.” These blogs often turn me on to tons of great local artists, and thus provide material for this site. My favorite of these sites – Austin Town Hall – last week posted this video of the Ghost Wolves that they helped to produce. And of course I was immediately taken with this group: Carley Wolf is a compelling frontwoman, and Jonathan Konya offers a great complement on drums. So I went over to their bandcamp page and picked up the In Ya Neck! EP they released earlier this month.

The Ghost Wolves are comprised of only Konya and Wolf, and their sound is appropriately raw for such a small group. They record with seemingly no overdubs, relying on Wolf’s heavy distortion and Konya’s emphatic drumming to fill out a sound that could have sounded far sparser than it does. Clearly, comparisons to the White Stripes abound: male/female duo, no bass, distorted blues-rock. And they aren’t entirely unwarranted. “Broke Joke” has the feel of some of the Meg/Jack duets like “It’s True That We Love One Another” (which I know also features Holly Golightly), but carries a lot more bite. “The Snake and Jake Shake” is also a pretty straightforward blues, revealing similar influences to the Stripes. Yet the opening two tracks are where the Ghost Wolves really carve out their own exciting sound. “Gonna Live” is a simple bluesy stomp written by the Vulgarians’ Michelle Glaw that builds into a huge, cathartic shout-along by the end. Wolf channels My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden on her vocal performance, and the whole thing retains a rootsy feel reminiscent of the video linked to above. “Curl Up and Dye” has a much faster, more vicious feel to it, bordering on punk. These are the two best songs on In Ya Neck!, establishing Ghost Wolves as a blistering force to be reckoned with.

The Ghost Wolves are enjoying a Monday night residency at the Lakeside Lounge in New York City all through September, and will be back in Austin on October 15th at Skinny’s Ballroom (holy shit, that place has been booking great shows recently!). In the meantime, hit up their bandcamp site to get a copy of the EP. - OVRLD.com

In January, Jonathan Konya and Carley Wolf traveled to a lakeside cabin in East Texas to play music together. Tucked away near the town of Normangee, the place was isolated, 18 miles from the nearest grocery store, with eagles and other birds the only neighbors. It was ideal for getting away from the distractions of the city and for rehearsing.

"It's more of a summer community, so there was nobody out there," Konya says. "We could just turn up as loud as we wanted. We got a PA and a bunch of gear and just set up shop."

The two musicians — Konya is a drummer and Wolf plays the guitar, among other things — had been dating for a few years but hadn't spent much time performing together, in part because Konya was busy as a member of Austin Americana group the Belleville Outfit. While they were away, Konya received a call that the band, which he co-founded while at school in New Orleans, was breaking up after three years. Vocalist/violinist Phoebe Hunt was leaving to pursue a solo career, and the other members decided not to find a replacement. It didn't come as a complete surprise to Konya — they had been drifting apart — but it was difficult to deal with nonetheless.

"It brings up a lot of emotions, something that you've been in the thick of for so long," he says. "It was like a relationship ending; you go through the depression and denial and all of that stuff."

As upsetting as it was, the end of his band also meant that he and Wolf could focus more on their own music. They worked for 12 hours each day, listening to albums, trying to write songs and figuring out what kind of sound the new band would have. Among other things, Konya and Wolf share a love for older American fare, including traditional mountain music and anything else one might find on recordings made by Alan and John Lomax.

Despite their traditional tastes, they returned to Austin after a month in the woods with something more forceful and electric on their hands. They called the new band, a two piece guitar-and-drums duo, the Ghost Wolves, named for an arctic wolf-dog hybrid that lived on Wolf's family farm in the Hill Country. The resulting album, "In Ya Neck!," which is available online now (physical copies will be released in the fall) is still rooted in Americana, but with a sound much louder and closer to more contemporary rock groups such as the White Stripes. With a similar two-tone fashion sense, Konya and Wolf don't shy away from the comparison.

Wolf, who has focused on acoustic music for much of her life, had been wanting to go louder for some time. Born into a musical family in Fredericksburg, she learned the piano as a child. Her father taught her to play the guitar, and she started her first band when she was 12. Throughout her childhood she continued learning different instruments and studied music at Texas State in San Marcos. There, for her senior thesis, she made a documentary about her family's musical heritage, which stretches back to her great-grandmother in Guadalajara, a composer and teacher who ran a fine arts school.

"I was trying to see what I could find out about music through the bloodline," she says. "I tried to answer if it was a learned thing, or something you're born with, but really it was more of an exploration of my heritage and where my love for music comes from."

After graduating from college, Wolf was ready to put her acoustic past behind her. Part of that desire to plug in comes from time spent with Houston rockabilly musician Johnny Falstaff, with whom she has played the upright bass on and off since she was 15.

"I really wanted to branch out into something more electric," Wolf says. "I was really inspired by the honky-tonk guitar playing, really rocking out so hard."

Aside from the Ghost Wolves' psychedelic blues covers of traditional folk songs such as "Jack-a-Roe," one vestige of her quieter musical past that remains is her finger-picking guitar style. Though not terribly common among rock musicians, it allows Wolf to compensate for the band's lack of a bassist.

The challenge of producing a big sound with only two people is something that affects Konya's playing as well. In addition to laying on the kick drum pretty heavily, he incorporates shakers and other percussion. It's far from his work with the Belleville Outfit, which often found him playing in a fairly restrained, conservative style.

"It makes us work harder as a duo to get on stage and try to be louder than a four-piece rock band," Konya says.

This isn't the first time Konya has branched out to different styles of playing. Like Wolf, Konya, who was born in Connecticut, grew up playing music. He was encouraged by his father, who was a professional musician for a time. He played drums in the school orchestra and in rock bands through high school before moving to New Orleans. He studied music at Loyola University with New Orleans jazz drummer Johnny Vidocavich, who has performed with Dr. John, George Porter Jr. and many others. While there, he also began playing music with Rob Teter and Connor Forsyth. The three formed the Belleville Outfit and relocated to Austin after Phoebe Hunt, Marshall Hood and Jeff Brown joined the band. He has also played with musicians as diverse as Junior Brown and Black Flag founder Greg Ginn.

For the time being, he and Wolf are committed to the Ghost Wolves. In a couple weeks, they're heading north to play a residency in New York through September. Then they're back in Austin for a record release party later in the fall. Their live show is a bit of a spectacle, with Wolf, dressed all in white with a matching Warhol-esque wig, jumping around the stage as she plays. Konya is chatty between songs, making jokes and pushing the record. It's not your typical Austin act, but being themselves is something in which they take pride.

"For me when I see a band, I want to them to sound good but I want to be convinced that that's who they are," Konya says. "We just want to create our little world and just live it. If other people want to come into it, they're welcome to." - Austin American Statesman

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“… their instrumental virtuosity … and sophisticated songwriting touch moves their music beyond fun revivalism. ... They're capable of moving in most any direction they wish.” - Nashville Scene

“… the sextet is one of Austin’s most musically accomplished and adventuresome, mixing gypsy swing, big-band jazz, a touch of bluegrass and some Walter Hyatt covers into a unique mix that flows like a whiskey river.” - The Austin Chronicle

“Mix hot-saucy Texas honky-tonk, city-slicker indie pop, jam-grass mischief, cool jazz and big-band swing, and you’ve about half-described this hot Austin band …” - The Boston Globe

“…an Austin band that captures the best of the hippie-friendly roots string band zeitgeist, without succumbing to it… this really is a band to watch.” - No Depression

“The debut album [WANDERIN’] captures the rich musical heritage of The Outfit’s influences, coming across with skill and confidence that often eludes such a young group.” - Creative Loafing-Atlanta

“[The talented 20-somethings … take elements of jazz, swing and newgrass and blend it all together in new and interesting ways.” — R&R/Billboard Americana Artist Spotlight

“... When pianist Connor Forsyth locks in with Hunt’s violin on 'Caroline' or guitarist Marshall Hood locks in with her on 'Wanderin',' it’s musical beauty of the highest order. ...” — ACL Music Festival 2008 review, Austin American-Statesman

“… This music isn't simple three-chord pop. These are … complex tunes musically featuring some of the best playing you’re likely to hear! How they have been able to develop such a tight sound this quickly is a testament to the band’s talent. …” - Americana Roots

- Various Sources

Texas music is a melting pot of musical forms, as we’re reminded by Austin-based singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Carley Wolf’s new album, “Set Sail,” a stylistic mix of gypsy, folk, Mexican and Americana music. She and her band, The Howls, jangle their way through “Gypsy Soul Blues” and “To Bee” with the spirit of an itinerant group of musicians playing their way through the world for tips. But true to Wolf’s eclectic musical form, she and The Howls are equally at ease downshifting and gracefully gliding through tender ballads like “Cold Dead Fingers” and the chilling “Funeral Pyre.” Wolf’s acoustic sound has been compared to the likes of Tom Waits, Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Cat Power and Feist. But her lilting and breathy vocals remind me of Iowa’s own Iris DeMent. - City View Des Moines

Carley Wolf: A musical jewel in wolf’s clothing
Venus Magazine; Marisa Iacobucci

When singer-songwriter Carley Wolf says she is “in tune with nature,” that’s putting things rather mildly. Raised in the country outside of Austin among a large family — including a music and animal–loving dad and pet wolves — it’s more natural to describe her as being madly in tune with nature and music. Possessed with a wild passion and a wandering gypsy soul, she’s about to break loose with her debut album, Set Sail.

Music is in Wolf’s blood. She started taking piano lessons at the age of seven, but she was already jamming with her dad long before then. Wolf plays piano, guitar, mandolin, upright bass, banjo, and anything else she can think of — figuring the more she learns on one instrument, the more she’ll learn about others. “I can’t help it!” she bursts, as one might before confessing to an addiction. “I can’t rest if I don’t play instruments.”

Wolf began writing music at the age of 12, around the same time she started her first all-girl band, the Clabber Girls. She went on to play in band after band and, by the time she graduated from high school, released her first EP thanks to a cousin who gave her studio time as a graduation gift.

While studying audio engineering at Texas State, Wolf completed a documentary thesis about her family’s musical history called Music Through the Bloodline. On her journey through Mexico, she discovered that her great-grandmother began playing harp at age three, composed her own songs, and eventually opened a dance school in her town.

It was while she was in college that Wolf also began writing the songs for Set Sail. She recorded the songs last year at the Troubadour in Lockhart, Texas with Steve Collins and John Konja, and the result is an impressive body of work for a “newcomer.” Using genres such as folk, rock, and bluegrass, Wolf sings with the chops of an old gypsy soul.

“My favourite song on the album is ‘Set Sail,’” she says. “It’s about the journey through life and about trusting that the universe will take care of you, no matter what happens. I wrote it when I was graduating from college and going through a lot of changes.”

Wolf counts some of her musical influence as Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, and Ella Fitzgerald — whom Wolf was first introduced to while researching jazz artists before putting out her first record of old blues songs. She also finds inspiration by attending live music performances near Austin, jamming in different groups, and supporting some of her local friends — such as up-and-coming jazz chanteuse, Kat Edmonson.

When asked how her music speaks to the spirit of these times, Wolf explains, “I’m not a political writer. I play music and hope to share my joy of playing music with others. I invite people to take a journey into a song, and if it helps people feel good and escape from the everyday worries and things going on in the world, then I know my music has gotten through to them.”
- Venus Magazine

One phrase comes to mind when one hears Set Sail -- "amiably eccentric" -- and another when one seeks to describe Carley Wolf's persona -- "hippie chick." I mean them both in the most generous possible way.

Judging from her photos, Wolf cannot have been born when the first generation of hippies roamed the Earth. Still, she must have something of the experience in her genes. A native Texan, she writes that she was "raised in the country with a loving musical family and a pack of wolves." Given her last name -- if that is indeed her birth name -- that can be read other than literally. Still, one of her videos shows her cavorting with ... well, they look rather like wolves, albeit with the friendly domestic character of dogs.

In any event, what matters for our purposes is that Set Sail is well above the usual singer-songwriter fare. Wolf has an impressively inventive musical imagination, in which she integrates multiple genres (jazz, gypsy rhythms, folk, pop) into a distinctively personal style. Her voice -- both literal and metaphorical -- is rich, supple and hard to resist whether it is waxing philosophical, gloomy, erotic or playful. Here and there, the songs turn lyrically and emotionally complex, but they are always accessible, resounding with a range of influences which ordinarily one doesn't expect to emanate from a single disc. I don't recall, for example, hearing anybody else who seems -- on occasion anyway -- like both Rickie Lee Jones and the Incredible String Band.

Multi-instrumentalist Wolf gets able backing from a four-piece band. One member is the ubiquitous fiddler Katy Rose Cox, and there's cello player David "Deemo" Moss. Jonathan Konya and Steve Collins handle mostly percussive instruments. Together, they create a shimmering, atmospheric sound while leaving the singing very much up front. I'm not sure you could call this "folk-rock" exactly. Perhaps the title song comes closest, and "Rocking Chair" is at least vaguely reminiscent of something traditional, maybe the Carter Family in an alternate reality. But whatever else it might be, Set Sail is among the most beautiful and intelligent -- and, in its own highly idiosyncratic fashion, rooted -- acoustic-pop records I've heard in the last year. - Rambles.Net

******* (seven stars)
By Fred Mills - Blurt-Online 11/18/09

Americana aficionados may find it faintly ludicrous, if not aggravating, that Norah Jones announces she's ditching MOR pop for roots music and every journalist on the planet wants to lick her piano pedals, but across the land deserving unknowns with far more authenticity and pizzazz than Jones continue to toil as, well, unknowns. I mention this only because (a) Jones is in the news right now; (b) and Austin songstress Carley Wolf has been compared to Jones in past reviews. Not necessarily without cause; at times she shares that same vulnerable, ingénue quality that's guaranteed to melt hearts. And her style touches upon pop, folk, country, jazz and even classical at times - a winning hybrid, just like Jones.

Still, one could do far worse than to take Wolf on her own terms. She terms her music "gypsy folk rock," and the jaunty, strummy opening track is called "Gypsy Soul Blues," so if label we must, those ain't too far off. In fact, "gypsy" may be the operative term here, as Wolf demonstrates her wanderlust across the course of these ten tracks. Abetted by players on loan from the Belleville Outfit, Shotgun Party and The Blue Hit, Wolf shines on such highlights as the gently lilting "Cold Dead Fingers," a countryish ballad reminiscent of some of Alejandro Escovedo's strings-laden compositions; the brushed-percussion, soul-jazz infused title track; and the European-flavored "Whole Hearted Lover," and uptempo blend of swing, blues and café culture. Wolf's a gifted multiinstrumentalist, by the way, playing at various points guitar, upright bass, mandolin, banjo, pump organ and keyboards.

Throughout, her expressive voice, terminally sexy but with an understated quality that gets under your skin through a slow process of seduction, remains the focus (credit to collaborators and coproducers Steve Collins and Jonathan Konya for recognizing that aural asset). Like her hero Tom Waits (she'll confirm that statement), it's a memorable voice that takes on its own singular identity, and as she charts her life, her loves and maybe even a few losses, too, you'll want to follow her path.

A musical nomad by any estimation, Wolf - like the cover rendering by artist Jet Whitt - proves to be a tempting mystery worth unraveling. Surprises await.

Standout Tracks: "Whole Hearted Lover," "Run Into the Sun," "Cold Dead Fingers" - Blurt-Online

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