Nearly 5 years since his last release, Stephen Douglas Wolfe Stephen Douglas Wolfe has music to share. Stephen Douglas Wolfe, a singer-songwriter that delivers songs that fill the space between Americana and indie rock, is set to reissue Thoughts & Prayers. The song originally recorded in one take directly to 2” tape at SubCat Studios, was meant to be a commentary on gun violence that impacted Syracuse but sadly has been applicable to the entire country.
At the time of the original release, Stephen wrote:
When I awoke on Friday, July 8, 2016 to the news of yet another instance of senseless violence, I knew that I had to finish it as soon as possible and allow my voice to be heard. I spent the following Monday night recording a demo at my friend Mike Frisina's home studio and rushed to release that on Soundcloud for streaming the next morning. Then on Friday the 15th [of 2016], I set up shop at SubCat studios with my good friend Jeremy Johnston (www.jeremydanieljohnston.com), a brilliant intern with some great analog experience named Brian (sorry, I never got your last name), and a 2-track tape machine. Together we tracked a simple and heartfelt version of the tune straight to tape; Brian ran the machine, Jeremy automated the preamps live and on the fly, and I provided the music. I felt like a thousand voices were speaking through me while I played this take and the three of us worked as one to make what I am proud to say that I believe is a beautiful document of my own thoughts about the current state of affairs.
Thousands of voices should still be speaking in this country that are now silenced. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been over 122,000 gun violence deaths (homicide, murder, unintentional deaths; note that these figures do not include suicide) from 2016-2022. (Source: https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/past-tolls) Thoughts & Prayers is as relevant today as when it was written.
Thoughts & Prayers was originally released July 15, 2016 but remained on Apple Music and Spotify for only one year. The song returns July 14, 2023 to all streaming services. Follow Stephen Douglas Wolfe on Apple Music or Spotify to be sure you are notified of all future releases.
Thoughts & Prayers
Look at your surroundings; Search for the light and the love in the things you see. Do you feel like you've been drowning? Are you gasping for air in the form of some empathy?
It seems in short supply these days, Like everyone's looking out only for number one. But we're all the same in many ways. Let us not fall in traps and succumb to the apathy.
We can stand together; Allow the space between to fade. If not now, then never. We'll let the anger drift away.
Too often are we called upon To mourn for the loss and the lives of the innocent. If thoughts and prayers are all we've got, Then we've handed our weapons of peace to the government.
We can stand together; Allow the space between to fade. If not now, then never. We'll let the anger drift away.
About Stephen Douglas Wolfe
Stephen Douglas Wolfe wants to reintroduce himself. After calling Lawrence, Kansas home, playing in propulsive indie rock bands while touring the country, Stephen moved to New York City and then found himself drifting to upstate New York as a solo artist. As a songwriter, SDW was prolific while playing through the northeast from 2016 through 2019 and releasing music regularly.
As live events were paused for several years, Wolfe returned to his studio crafting songs that are soon to become part of his first full-length record under his name. The album, titled Renascent, is a fitting descriptor for an artist looking to remind people of his storytelling via song after a few years away from the stage and a gap of five years releasing music. The initial live events have established that as a performer, Stephen Douglas Wolfe is as polished as ever and the new record is poised to fill a space between indie rock and Americana.
Discography
Thoughts & Prayers, Single — July 14, 2023
Quixotic Symphony, EP — October 26, 2018
Exhale, Single — October 6, 2017
Self-Titled, EP — November 18, 2016
7” Vinyl Record Series
We’ll Live — March 25, 2016
Window — June 16, 2016
The Animals — November 18, 2016