Raleigh indie rockers Goddamn Wolves can’t keep quiet, and neither should they, as their latest single, “Get Your Coat,” off today’s release, the DOOMs EP, is evidence that wolves can unclench their jaws if only for a second. They’ve always had classic alt-rock in their DNA. This release is a gentle diversion through considerably sunnier climes, not without that defined edge.
“Get Your Coat” enters like a half-remembered summer evening, warmed and wistful. But do not be fooled by the track’s breezier, if somewhat janglier, feel it’s got teeth. Here, the band leans into its melodic side, and guitars shimmer instead of snarl, vocals teeter between deadpan charm and genuine warmth. It’s an indie rock with shoulders shrugged and a deep breath preceding the next storm.
That piano. An accidental touch from Dakota Proctor of Raleigh’s Ooze Box, who was in the studio and seized the moment. His playing brings a surprising brightness to the track, a glint of color in black and white without dominating the spotlight. It is the sort of happy accident that lends the song its pulse.
“Get Your Coat” is, fascinatingly, not some new pandemic direction dreamt up in quarantine but an older track by frontman Chris, unearthed and dusted off with some new life. That context lends that this is not only a band poking around but also a band re-making a connection with its origins, with the fun of playing, and possibly with itself.