Reverb

Long Line, Wolf's 1996 return after a six-year hiatus from recording and touring, hasn't fared any better than his previous three outings. Nevertheless, it's the finest album of Wolf's 30-year career -- a musically diverse rumination on the things you think about when you're alone, confused, and growing no younger. In "Wastin' Time" Wolf chews on his self-pity and melancholy over a languid, acoustic-based groove that wouldn't be out of place on Van Morrison's Astral Weeks, while "Goodbye" offers a pessimist's discourse on the futility of commitment. A downer to be sure, Long Line represents just a facet of Wolf's artistry, and live he's anything but a forlorn old fart. Expect his Hallandale set to lean heavily on soul raveups and biting rock and roll -- the kind of stuff you hear far too seldom in these barren parts.

-- By John Floyd
john_floyd@miami-newtimes.com