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Jun 09, 2023 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Nina Ripich

Wax Owls is the new indie folk project from LA-based singer/songwriter Gerry Hirschfeld. Since debuting in 2020, the band have been sharing a steady stream of new singles, cementing their charming combination of earnest songwriting and lush, anthemic arrangements. The band ran a monthly singles campaign through most of 2021 before slowing down with a pair of new tracks in 2022. Most recently, they shared their latest track, “Bring the Rain,” earlier this spring.

Today, they’re back with news of their forthcoming debut EP, Cowboy Cologne, out this summer. Accompanying the news, they’ve also shared a new single from the record, “The Appetite,” premiering with Under the Radar.

Prior to Wax Owls’ inception, Hirschfeld was spending his days working as a lawyer, dreaming of the chance to focus on music full-time. “The Appetite” is written about those days and the hunger that Hirschfeld felt to chase his dream. “Contrary to what one might expect, it was not a hard choice,” Hirschfeld says. “I wrote ‘The Appetite’ to reflect the hunger I had toward pursuing something I cared about. Importantly, the pursuit itself is fulfilling even if the goal never fully materializes. That is why leaving the job was one of the easier decisions I have ever made.”

The track begins in a pastoral indie folk mode, burnished by finger-picked guitar and winsome vocal harmonies. However, the choruses take on a barnstorming anthemic turn, slowing the tempo down to a strident march while the band pours out some passionate vocal performances. Finally, the track culminates in a spot-lit electric guitar solo, one that could fit easily on festival stages. The resulting effort finds the band moving easily between a pastoral folk confession and a soul-affirming rock anthem, capturing the fervent passion within Hirschfeld’s lyrics.

Check out the song below, out everywhere now. The Cowboy Cologne EP is due out this summer.