Why is there so much mystery and controversy over this little known musician? Lately, there have been numerous articles and an unreal number of blogs being written with comparisons, love/hate reactions, genre and labelling and just plain misinformation about an artist who deserves attention, if only for the fact that he generates all of this commotion without ever lifting a finger to do so! Jerald Wolf is all about his music and not about public opinion.

Upon listening to his new CD, "Winter's Emptiness", you may find yourself with more questions than answers. The listener is left with an odd feeling of warmth, while still tasting the harsh bite and wintery starkness of the CD. So who is this Jerald Wolf anyway? One must travel deeply into their own souls to find the answer. Mr. Wolf helps us on this journey by giving us a guided tour of his own heart and soul. At once you have the feeling that you know the depths where Jerald is coming from and you might even feel an awkward closeness to the artist. But soon you realize that, although he bares his soul to the world, he is quite distant and out of reach. Maybe it's the fear of delving this deeply into ourselves that creates this seeming aloofness.

The songs on "Winter's Emptiness" are raw at times and always full of dark emotions. Not in a morbid way, but in a way that allows the listener to enter into and understand Jerald's somewhat dark personality. You immediately get the sense that he's been through more emotional ups and downs than anyone could even fathom, much less live through. As understated as some of his lyrics are, there is the deeper-rooted message for all who are brave enough to explore further. There are always lyrical twists and two-sided observations. With a rich and alluring acoustic and electric tapestry, Mr. Wolf creates music that is quite mesmerizing.

But let us get back to the original questions at hand: Did Jerald Wolf step out of some dark wintery forest? Was he raised by a pack of wolves? We may never know, but one thing is for certain, Jerald Wolf is a loner, as proven on his new solo CD, "Winter's Emptiness". Perhaps we will never know for sure. Maybe the answers lie hidden in the songs and all we need to do is travel the same roads that Mr. Wolf has traveled.

Linda Johns is an indie music critc in the Boston area... Visit Jerald Wolf at: http://www.wolfsongmusic.com