Reviews

"Closing the Circle"
by Ingemar Johansson

Clement Dumais blogs "Unbounded."
(Translated from the French):
"Today I present to you the most beautiful song I have heard in ages."

From  Pablo Yglesias
Author: Cocinanda! Forty Years of Latin Album Cover Art
Producer: Rough Guide to Salsa Clandestina (Personal correspondence)

Great music. Your album is really fine. I enjoyed listening to it today -excellent compositions, fabulous playing, great backing band, and you have a really nice voice - with personality, kind of with a twinkle in your eye as you sing. At times I was thinking of the Stones, Willie Nelson, Charlie Musslewhite, and Link Wray. You guys make it with what we Cubans call "sentimiento" (feeling).

From pepper-zone.com (France)
(in French)

From The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, MA)

At least two continents and one century's worth of musical traditions swirl through the mix of Northampton-based singer-songwriter Wolf Krakowski's new, rootsy collection of original tunes, where spiritual love songs and political anthems rub against country novelties, calypso, rags, blues and classics rockers.

With a back-up cast on hand drawing on some of the Pioneer Valley's finest musicians, including The Lonesome Brothers, Krakowski -- a deceptively gritty vocalist with a knack for phrasing like Willie Nelson's -- has laid down some of the rootsiest prayers disguised as party music since The Band's "Music From Big Pink".

From Northampton Valley Advocate (MA)

For all the serious social and psychological content of Wolf Krakowski's new release, this album is alive with moments of playful joy. Krakowski's first CD, Transmigrations, was a manipulation of Jewish folk songs transposed into an Eastern European, world weary cabaret format. He does some genre-bending here too, and if it's to less effect than on Transmigrations, it's just as much fun. Krakowski's laconic lyrics bounce off the ethno-beat rhythms in friendly conflict, creating some interesting sparks. The lead song, "Blasting in the everlasting," laments that "It's getting hard to tell the outlaws from the criminals," while back-up vocals form a heavenly chorus that would be more comfortable in the old Apollo Theater.

Local multi-instrumentalist Jim Armeni lets loose on guitar, bouzouki, mandolin and violin, with bass from Ray Mason. Add girl-group back-up, wailing sax, lots of exotic percussion, pedal steel and lap steel guitar and you have an idea of the mix here. It's garage band rococo by some of the area's most mature artists: guys and gals who have the confidence to be unpretentious.

-- John Morrison

DIRTY LINEN

"Sounding slighly nasal, but also wry and playful, Krakowski isn't someone who likes to hold back - he pours out his pain but also makes it interesting.  His willingness to take chances in his material and arrangements -- sometimes backed by catchy horns and female vocals -- sets him apart.  Like the title of the first song, he's likely to continue 'Blasting in the Everlasting' long after others have run out of things to say." 
                                            
-- Ed  Silverman

FROM RAINLORE'S WORLD OF MUSIC

"...timeless, transcending temporal and spatial
as well as cultural constraints"  

--Richard Sharma

REJUVENATING HERITAGE WEBSITE

"I can't keep this music off my CD player."

-- Mike Sherman

NEW YORK JEWISH WEEK

"Wears the mantle of prophet lightly and wryly and rocks hard.  Sardonic and witty." ****

--George Robinson

Wolf Krakowski's Boogie: Ingemar Johansson (Sweden) Reviews "Unbounded"

"Presence, stylistic pregnancy and musical concentration are the hallmarks of this CD. Music with street credibility."
(in Swedish)

Swedish (and English) Website for Wolf Krakowski,plus European Mailorder/Sales Information

Joost Hegle (Norway) Reviews "Unbounded"

"A wonderfully honest voice revealing the most inner feelings."

Paula Kirman reviews Unbounded: 
Your Mining Co. Guide to World Music