Still Satisfyn’

One of Cincinnati’s best songwriters, David Wolfenberger, has released a new album, Portrait of Narcissus, his first since 2001’s World of the Satisfyn’ Place (put out by local Folk label, Blue Jordan Records). Wolfenberger’s new one is on Fundamental Records, a storied imprint (once home to everyone from Black Flag to Spoon to Eugene Chadbourne) that was recently revived with new artists. Wolfenberger has kept busy since 2001, playing all over the world on his own and as a member of Mark Olson and Victoria Williams’ Creekdippers. Williams pops up on a couple of Narcissus tracks and neo-Folk legend Michelle Shocked also checks in on a song. And local music fans may recognize several other names from Narcissus’ support cast, including Dave Eberhardt, Kim Taylor, Greg Hansen and Josh Seurkamp. Wolfenberger and his band, The Foster Children, host a local CD release show for the disc Saturday at Rohs Street Café in Clifton. Taylor opens the show at 9 p.m. with a solo set.

Wolfenberger’s time out West seems to have seeped into his songwriting style. Portrait of Narcissus is a relatively more laid-back affair than Satisfyn’ Place, and while there isn’t anything on Narcissus as instantly grabbing as, say, Satisfyn’ Place‘s brilliant “Bury Me At Ivesdale,” it is still a diverse and captivating piece of work. Opening with the dusky, organ-dirging “Something’s Gotta Give,” the album trades on orange-sunset-against-purple-sky atmosphere, channeling usual suspects like The Band and Neil Young, also adding a little Eagles ease for flavoring (“Freezin’ Walt Disney Blues”).

There’s a joyous feeling of contentment on “Inconsolably Overjoyed,” which is the authentic sound of either a man full-bore in love or someone on a double dose of Prozac (“I’m laughing at each joke/And all my cynicism’s dead/I try to be sarcastic/But I’m just fantastic instead”), while “Vespa Girl,” with its ping-ponging Wurlitzer and almost Brit Invasion-style melody, has a bubbly Pop vibe, sounding like Ron Sexsmith with a sugar buzz.

“The Wreck Election” is another standout, with its get-your-ya-yas-out rhythms and wah-wah guitar funkiness matching the lyrics about the insanity of the recent political climate, while the hectic “Sad, Lonely, Rotten World” sounds like The Monkees playing Reggae (which is, surprisingly, a good thing). Other tracks have a sleepier transcendence, slow-mo portraits of sound that are beautifully augmented by the various guest harmonizers and lovely pedal-steel tears from Josh Grange (currently Dwight Yoakam’s pedal-steeler). Gorgeous and soulful, playful and deep, Portrait of Narcissus gives Wolfenberger another ace entry into his already dazzling discography. (davidwolfenberger.com)

More Local Notes
· Husband/wife Neo-Folk/Pop duo Ellery celebrates the recent release of their first nationally distributed album, Lying Awake, with a pair of shows this Friday. The twosome rode the critical acclaim that greeted the 2005 EP, Make Your Troubles Mine, to a record deal with Seattle indie, Virt Records. The disc — released April 4 nationally — features all of the tracks from the EP and five new songs, cut with super-producer Ric Hordinski. Friday, Ellery plays a free set at 2 p.m. at the Springdale Borders; later that night, they take over Jack Quinn’s in Covington for an 8 p.m. show. (ellerymusic.com)

· Folk/Latin/Rock quintet The Shirts — featuring members of The Newbees — unveils its debut album, Pressed, this Saturday at Arnold’s. The group contains multiple songwriters, singers and multi-instrumentalists and showcases tight four-part harmonies. The 9 p.m. show is free and open to all ages. (myspace.com/theshirts)

· Local Pop/Rock specialists The Vinyltones will be filming their show this Saturday at the Mad Frog in Corryville. While there aren’t concrete plans for the material, possibilities include a music video, a full-length concert DVD or bonus footage on the group’s next CD, which is currently being recorded. The Vinyltones play at 10 p.m. Saturday, followed by 500 Miles to Memphis (also currently working on a new album) and the Kentucky Struts. (vinyltones.com)

· An impressively eclectic collection of local performers take part in a benefit show at Covington’s Mad Hatter this Friday. The 8 p.m. concert — organized by an activism class at Northern Kentucky University — features Iswhat?!, Langus, Blue Rock Boys, Le TechnoPUSS13s, Kabakick and Pernicious Knifs. Proceeds from the show go to the Women’s Crisis Center, the Native American Mobile Museum, the Caracole House (a half-way house for people with AIDS), and Books To Prisoners (bring two soft-cover books and get $2 off the $7 cover).

This article appears in Apr 5-11, 2006.