Josiah Wolf - Jet Lag

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Multi-instrumentalist and integral component of alternative hip-hop darlings Why? Josiah Wolf has taken a step aside from his main project and made an album of his own. Jet Lag is produced by sibling and Why? frontman Yoni Wolf, but its parts are constructed solely by Josiah, who will surprise many with his knack for writing open-minded folk songs with an autumnal charm.

There isn't a great deal of difference between what's fashioned on Jet Lag and Why?'s recent output. 2009's Eskimo Snow deals with conveying deep heartfelt emotions alongside a sound that comes from the most bitter cold, and Jet Lag thrives in the same environment.

But where Yoni Wolf's tones pulse and guide the momentum of a song, Josiah is more of a gently-spoken storyteller, with a voice that flips from fragile and at breaking point to deep and resounding, resembling that of his brother's. The vulnerability of his vocals assists the likes of Master Cleanse (California) and Is The Body Hung in sounding soft and tame; the tap-tap percussion; the dithering marimba patterns; the inviting guitar plucking, all combine beautifully with Josiah's soothing narrative.

At times the songwriting method borders on repetitive. Instead of pitting a catchy verse with an even catchier chorus, Wolf chooses to invite the listener in with an infectious hook - usually through an acoustic guitar - before breaking down the thin blanket of atmosphere and introducing something completely different, almost as if he's lost his train of thought, be it through boredom or scatterbrainedness. Either way, when you crave something more from Jet Lag, it tends to disappoint.

Skull In The Ice is an exception; perhaps the most tender of all the songs, it begins with a stripped-down strum and evolves in the chorus with luscious, rich surroundings. It's the sort of crescendo all these tales deserve, but the hungover state of affairs that rings supreme in this record seldom allows for this to happen.

In truth, that whimsical, semi-conscious state of mind rarely hinders Jet Lag. In fact it tends to go arm-in-arm with Josiah's stories of big cities and pretty girls very nicely. But any break in trend - such as through Ohioho: a sun-tinged, care-free, mid-afternoon anthem - is always welcomed, because this is the kind of album that weighs on you with repeated listens. It could do with taking notes from Ohioho, because it's this ilk of uplifting, cacophonous sound that suits Why? and Josiah so well.

Nevertheless it's refreshing to see an often unsung hero break out of his shell and prove himself to be an accomplished songwriter and, best of all, singer. And it strengthens the theory that Why? are a melting pot of talent, still with plenty more to offer.