Afton Wolfe gets swept away on waves of memory on his meditative and devastatingly beautiful new single Rushing Back — premiering exclusively on Tinnitist.
The latest preview of the gravel-throated Nashville troubadour’s upcoming atrology-themed sophomore album Ophiuchus, Rushing Back proves once and for all that less can not only be more — it can be everything you need and more. Although the five-minute song’s entire lyric consists of just six words — “Every little thing comes rushing back” — the Waitsian singer-songwriter delivers and deploys them in a way that conveys a wealth of emotional states: Everything from grief, regret and heartbreak to wonder, appreciation and, ultimately, life-affirming joy.
The slow-burning musical track is equally multi-faceted, blending Wolfe’s gently strummed guitar with twinkling piano, playful clarinet and flourishing trumpet to craft a cut that ebbs and flows with swelling tides of emotion and remembrance. The result: A dreamy adult lullaby that improbably but indelibly pulls together rich threads of country, folk, blues, pop, psychedelia and jazz. Not bad for a song prompted by Wolfe’s inability to finish a different song.
“The inspiration for this song came from trying to write a biographical song about a friend who had passed away,” he explains. “That song was impossible to finish, because it was so emotional, and there were so many details that I wanted to include. It kept expanding and extending and digging further into a kind of grand minutiae. I’m still not done with that song, but this song depicted the feeling I had while trying to write that song.”
Along with Wolfe on guitar, Rushing Back features bassist Daniel Seymour, clarinetist Seth Fox, trumpeter Zach Douglas, pianist Slice Echevaria, drummer Madison George and Wolfe’s wife Robin providing backing vocals.
Rushing Back is the sixth song released in anticipation of Ophiuchus, which is named after the somewhat contested 13-sign Zodiac calendar which sees the Sun pass through Taurus beginning May 14 (hence the bull in the single artwork and the song’s midweek release). “The Sun goes through 13 constellations from our zenith, and 12 of those have myths associated with them in customary astrological wisdom,” Wolfe says. “Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer, has been associated vaguely with the serpent and with medicine. The medicine man has the power of the serpent — to heal or destroy, depending on how he chooses to use the venom. That dilemma inspired me to imagine that character and his mythos.”
Born and raised in Mississippi, Wolfe has the roots of American music in his DNA. Spending his musically formative years in and around New Orleans, where the humidity of the region combined with the Cajun seasonings, the jazz, zydeco, creole, and gospel music, his Mississippi roots coalesced to add resonance to his blues/country/rock influences.
After honing his talents with pop outfit Red Velvet Couch, the avant-garde, instrumentally diverse Dollar Book Floyd and the Nashville power trio The Relief Effort, Wolfe took the solo route for his debut EP Petronius’ Last Meal. Recorded in 2008 and finally released in the throes of 2020, its dark, tense, and moody vibe perfectly complemented the bitter flavour of the year. Just a year later, he levelled up with his outstanding full-length debut Kings For Sale. In 2023 he released the EP The Harvest, a seven-track collection of covers penned by Nashville songwriter LH Halliburton — who also happens to be his father-in-law.
Listen to Rushing Back above, pre-save the song HERE, check out more from Afton Wolfe and see his upcoming performances below, and find him on his website, Facebook and Instagram.
Afton Wolfe Live
May 23 | Nashville | 3rd & Lindsley (Noon)
May 25 | Madison, TN | Dee’s Cocktail Lounge (3 p.m.)
July 26 | Pittsburgh | House Concert
July 29 | Raleigh, NC | Neptunes
July 30 | Rockville, MD | Hank Dietle’s Tavern
Aug. 1 | Hoosick Falls, N.Y. | Unihog (w/ Mallett Brothers Band)
Aug. 2 | Norwood, MA | Fallout Shelter
Aug. 7 | Thomas, WV | Purple Fiddle
Aug. 8 | Washington | Lucky Penny
Aug. 9 | Richmond, VA | Révéler
Aug. 10 | Asheville, NC | Grey Eagle Patio
