Today marks the release of Kalan Wolfe and The Shift’s new music video, “Make It Out Alive”.
Director Aaron Siebol brings the song to life with the cinematic release, giving us an even greater insight into the musical message, starring Elias Alexander (also known as Ramblxr). The scene opens with Elias, in most regards, resembling a woodland sprite creature. Elias’ embarks on an adventure taking him through a number of different scenarios, each highlighting the meaningful power of music. Mark Murphy (from the band Wookiefoot) also makes a cameo in the video. ‘Make It Out Alive’ is a tune that captures the true essence of The Shifts’ project and ultimately brings another layer of depth and wisdom. The message in this song is evidence that this project occupies a much needed space in the alternative folk world. They offer a diverse set of music spanning multiple genres, a highly entertaining live performance, and most importantly, a message that moves the soul.
The Shift also throws an annual event called Departure Festival, which acts as a great gathering of the minds and showcases a thriving community of impassioned fans and creative artists. We live in a world that offers us a wild variety of music to choose from and this group of musicians is markedly unique. Take one listen to their new album and you will almost immediately glean a number of values not often heard in the music world. These troubadours have found a route of administration that rarely is replicated with such positivity in popular culture.
The Shift uses their immense musical prowess to bring an audience to an emotional height, then delivers a message so poignant that it imprints a positive message and ultimately a positive change. Their newest album, The Shift, explores a number of alternative perspectives compared to the standard offerings such as honoring our elders, listening to our children, respecting women, and respecting our bond with the natural world. It brings a joyful tear and ignites a fire in our souls when we hear the truth. Hearing music that clearly defines what it means to be human affords us a reaffirmation of our own positive values. The band incorporates these values in their own lives, and by doing so attract an authentic and dedicated following of truth seekers each and every show. Follow their vibe and discover a world of like minded musicians that collaborate with them, which is another spontaneous and beautiful aspect of this project. Collaborations frequently unfold around them, organically spawning unique iterations of their musical repertoire.
Listen to their entire discography and see clever lyricism on full display via wildly imagined natural metaphors that parallel life experiences. The Shifts’ body of work contains three albums to date, Home, Departure, and The Shift, all featuring a highly recognizable style and sound. These artists are ambitious and since their beginning have been hard at work in the studio and on the road. Their inspiration is effectively transcribed into their music with each consecutive album. Their live performances are nothing short of memorable, between the eye-catching garb, crowd engagement, and wildly animated stage presence it’s hard to look away for even a brief moment.
Kalan Wolfe leads these musicians emphatically through their performances, whilst his partner Keely Crow-Ka provides complimentary vocals and encouraging smiles. Kalan and Keely form a captivating duo on stage and their outward expression gives rise to an infectious joy that emanates through their shows. Their daughter Ember Brightheart joins them frequently showcasing her tremendous talent and brings to light an intergenerational commitment to music and the arts. In this same vein, we have Karl Hatton, Kalan Wolfe’s father who plays a supporting role percussively and vocally. He can be spotted playing the congas and a number of other hand drums with an endearing but mischievous smile. Walter Harris locks down the bass. He can be heard across their albums and live shows contributing bombastic bass lines that surprise listeners with his unique approach and his well placed arrangements.
Sam Stockard keeps time with his impeccable drumming skills, laying down driving beats, transforming the static listener into a dynamic dancer. Elias Alexander contributes his talents occasionally to the project as well, bringing a magical feel with his background in Gaelic traditional music by adding the fiddle, flute, and bagpipes into the mix. This completes the line-up of these well intentioned sonic explorers but behind the music and the message lies another admirable facet to the project. The band is involved with numerous different causes including many in their home state of Washington. Their annual festival, Departure Festival, provides a chance for the greater community to come enjoy bands that hold similar values and use this event to help support their communities and local non-profits.
Take some time to watch their new music video, “Make It Out Alive”, and you’ll chuckle as you remember what it means to be alive. Immerse yourself in their music and message and find yourself transported into a world of love, unity, and respect. Their aim is to bring that world into alignment with our current one and this fact is evident in all their creations.
