| Wolf Songs for Lambs | |
| Type: | Album |
| Artist: | Jonathan Fire*Eater |
| Cover: | Wolf Songs for Lambs.jpg |
| Released: | October 7, 1997 |
| Genre: | Indie rock |
| Length: | 35:18 |
| Label: | DreamWorks Records |
| Prev Title: | Tremble Under Boom Lights |
| Prev Year: | 1996 |
Wolf Songs for Lambs is the second and final studio album by American band Jonathan Fire*Eater. The album was the band's major-label debut, released on DreamWorks Records after a bidding war following the hype surrounding the band, in particular their EP from the previous year, Tremble Under Boom Lights.[1] Shortly after the album's release the band split, with Paul Maroon, Matt Barrick, and Walter Martin going on to form The Walkmen with members of the Recoys.
Reviews for the album were positive, although some critics were reserved in their praise due to the hype surrounding the band and the acclaim for Tremble Under Boom Lights. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic wrote that the flawed production "turns out to be a minor complaint, because Jonathan Fire*Eater has such an individual, idiosyncratic sound that even weak moments sound kinetic." He further compared the group to Pavement, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and the Make-Up, and concluded that "while the songwriting is uneven, the record still shows more style, substance and originality than most post-alternative guitar combos" and that while "it may not find Jonathan Fire*Eater fulfilling their potential... [it] remains a strong debut." Entertainment Weekly described it as "a sleeker, more oblique outing, and positively arresting" in comparison to Tremble Under Boom Lights, while The A.V. Club described it as "refreshing" in an era "occupied by overlong, overblown epics like the new Oasis record."[2] In a more mixed but generally positive review, Brent DiCrescenzo of Pitchfork called the album "borderline novelty", but said it "grows on you like a mold" and further conceded he "[imagines] they'd be a better live groove."