Nigel Stonier’s ‘Wolf Notes’: Authentic Art, Incisive Heart - 1inmusic

Nigel Stonier’s 2025 album, ‘Wolf Notes,’ immediately asserts itself as a formidable artistic statement. This isn’t merely a collection of songs; it’s the work of a seasoned craftsman operating at the pinnacle of his abilities. Stonier, known for his dedication to the music rather than the fanfare, consistently delivers without dwelling on past achievements, and ‘Wolf Notes’ stands as compelling evidence of this unwavering commitment.

This surely resonates in the very title. Without going into the details, Nigel Stonier himself describes a wolf note as the “howl” an instrument makes without which it “wouldn’t have its magical tone in the first place”. Stonier “like[s] this and what it says to ” him and we love what it says of him and of the album. We like to think that the beautiful sound, lyrics and heart he shares with us could not have happened without the howls of life, notwithstanding birthing the album.

A Dynamic Emotional and Sonic Palette

The album’s most striking quality is its dynamic emotional range. ‘Wolf Notes’ fluidly transitions between moments of uplifting vibrancy and deeper melancholy, offering serene passages alongside more energetic ones.

This versatility showcases Stonier’s mastery across various folk subgenres, blending the intimate confessionals of a singer-songwriter with the rich textures of traditional folk with touches of the earthy strains of Americana. What deeply connects throughout the album is the palpable heart of Stonier himself. He operates less as a conventional vocalist and more as a compelling storyteller, skillfully weaving narratives of love and introspection, whether musing on life’s complexities or subtly challenging societal norms.

Realy nice review from Malcom Carter on Penny Black Music

It’s been a while since we had a ‘solo’ album from renowned producer, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Niger Stonier. Six years, in fact, since we last had an album bearing Stonier’s name; ‘Wolf Notes’ is his eighth offering. Although still not as well-known as a man of his talents should be, those who maybe think Stonier is a new name should look at the producer’s credit on some of their favourite albums.

Stonier has collaborated or produced with a number of artists including Fairport Convention, Thea Gilmore, Lindisfarne and The Waterboys. But for this writer it’s the work he did with lesser-known artists such as Tracey Browne and Kelly Oliver which helped me understand just how talented Stonier is. Then there was ‘I Hope I Always’ a track on Stonier’s 2014 album ‘Built For Storms’ which cemented the fact that Stonier deserved more than just acclaim for his work as a producer for other artists.

The song is a touching, beautiful ballad which showcases Stonier’s emotive, warm vocals perfectly; it’s one of those songs to turn to for inspiration during those dark days. Unfortunately, the song touches so deep that any new music from Stonier has a lot to live up to. So, it’s with a little trepidation that these ears approach ‘Wolf Notes’ despite Stonier having, at times, reached the heights of ‘I Hope I Always’ on subsequent albums.

But the opener, ‘Don’t Lose Songs’ shows that whatever is going to follow over the course of the next eleven songs is going to be interesting to say the least.

It should be noted that the birth of this album was during the days of lockdown and so lyrically (one of Stonier’s strong talents which isn’t always noted) there are lines that remind us of that time and which are also inspiring. The Celtic hue of the song is brilliantly displayed by Stonier’s son Egan’s violin and Natalie Grace Kelsey’s flute and whistle (and Stonier’s other son Asher’s pulsating drums play a major part in creating the atmosphere too) which instantly warm the heart. “Lose motivation, it comes and it goes, lose inspiration it ebbs and it flows, but don’t lose songs, lose the ex-lover who just bring you down, keep undercover, stay out of town, but don’t lose songs” and other lyrics which highlight the power of music delivered in Stonier’s emotive vocals.

It's an irresistible and positive start to the album.