The Deep, Musical Magic of Wolf & Clover: twelvemonth and a day

A whistle, a banjo. A guitar and a washboard. A fiddle, an accordion, and a beautiful voice singing from beyond the world. Highland jigs and ghostly woods, a lover’s quest and a good day’s work, and another morning coming after rest.

This is the soul of Wolf & Clover, an “Irish-ish” band that dives deep into traditional Celtic music before surfacing again with new tweaks and twists and interpretation to share. The Columbus band’s new album, twelvemonth and a day, is out on all major digital platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music. It’s a long-awaited new studio album from the local group, which released its last self-titled record in 2018 to wide acclaim.

But what is Wolf & Clover? What does it mean to play “Irish-ish” music? Celtic music, like most folk music, has roots that go back centuries. Some tunes have been played, in one form or another, for about as long as anyone can remember. At the same time, composers have never stopped writing new music either. 

“We experiment with traditional material, looking for interesting musical elements and opportunities to capitalize on and push the boundaries of the traditional Celtic style,” said Mattew McCabe, who plays tenor banjo, bouzouki, button accordion, bass, cello, and organ on the album. This latest album, which has eleven tracks which include “sets” of multiple tunes, includes many contemporary composers. “These are people who are pushing the limits of the celtic style and tradition,” he said.

Wolf & Clover is established now, at more than five years in performance. But it started as a side project among a group of musicians from the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University. It quickly became clear how interested Columbus was in their venture; their first concert at RiverCenter was packed to capacity, and then some. Something magical happens when they play, and people are drawn to it. It’s spellbinding. Part of that may come from the group’s desire to bring something for any type of listener. 

“It occurred to me that we might be the people who introduce Irish music to somebody. That’s a really interesting phenomenon, and it’s also a really big responsibility. There’s something for everyone to latch onto in this album, and if that gets them interested in the more traditional stuff, or the more experimental stuff, I think we can bridge the gap. Jazz lovers will like songs on this album, folk lovers will like certain songs on this album. We try to communicate the spirit of the Celtic style while being true to ourselves,” McCabe said. 

The many hours of practice and tweaking of tunes also means there’s a certain personality that comes through in each song, whether it’s the winding, joyful meandering of Chris Walton on the whistle, hearty thrums of Julian Chalon on guitar, or warm tones of Caroline Richards on the accordion. 

“The thing I like about this album is that it’s a mishmosh of who we are as people,” said violinist Jessica Bennett French. “Each of these sets, you can see a little bit of each person in every one.”

The tracks run the gamut, from quick-stepping dancy jigs to low-crackling picking that evokes a late night fireside wind-down in an old tavern. 

Through it all, Shellie DeBruyn, pianist and trained opera vocalist, brings her years of experience to the group, with lovely renditions of traditional tunes. 

“When I listened to the first album, I was really taken aback by the vocals,” she said. “It’s a fusion of styles. It was still Irish, but it sounded American, and it was this interesting juxtaposition of styles. I am still kind of learning how I fit into this, bringing my own voice while honoring tradition.”

To celebrate the release, a free album release concert will be held in Columbus State University’s (CSU) Legacy Hall on St. Patrick’s Day – Thursday, March 17, 2022, at 7:30pm. In addition to the live performance, the concert will also be live streamed on the Schwob School of Music Facebook and YouTube channels, and presented on Irish Music Magazine’s social media outlets.

By Scott Berson