The whimsical brainchild of guitarist Scott Metzger, WOLF! embarks on an instrumental Fender Telecaster-led journey that snatches you off to a dingy, musky room from another era. The trio—Metzger, bassist Jon Shaw and drummer Taylor Floreth—pick away at a rapid pace most of the time, as “Sock Full of Quarters” and “Humdinger” exhibit on this debut album. Encompassing aspects of surf rock, bluegrass, blues and jazz, these tunes bristle with heightened energy and frothy anticipation. There’s also “Frightenin’ (Part 2),” which feels sort of like it was written for a Quentin Tarantino film. As skillfully as WOLF! ramps things up, the trio just as easily slows down the pace to a blissful lull. Take “Wolf Eyes” and “Café Hidalgo,” which both adopt sprawling, relaxed and delightful tones. Even though the unmistakable sounds of the Telecaster reign supreme throughout, Metzger doesn’t go overboard, and the album’s short tracks assure that. Part Les Paul, part Dick Dale, and a bit of Charlie Hunter, Metzger’s polished style is truly remarkable.