By Bob Makin
originally published: 09/27/2024
PHOTO BY SANDRA MAXIM
Wiser Time’s new seven-song EP is “All Fired Up.” The title track is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.
As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “All Fired Up” also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on Sept. 27, on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you can tune in any time in the archives at The Penguin and Mixcloud.
“Rob Clores is a great friend who I’ve worked with since my first record, and we’ve definitely spent our fair share of time together,” said Carmen Sclafani, the founding singer-songwriter-guitarist of Wiser Time. “He plays keys with Jessie Malin, who’s an NYC legend, and I’ve seen them play more times than I can count. Jessie was playing at a club in Brooklyn, and it was just a great night. The band broke out into a song that sounded so ‘New York City’: three-chord rock ‘n’ roll with a great melody and a kind of pop-punk energy that can set a room on fire. When I got home, I picked up a guitar and wrote the music, and then Rob did all kinds of keyboard stuff later on when we recorded.
“I wanted to harness that energy lyrically and touch on the times that we’re in,” he continued. “We’re in such charged up and polarized times, and everyone is fired up in some way … and with good reason. It’s like, “Here I am, I have something to say, and you are going to hear me!”
In addition to Rob, the Carmen-produced “All Fired Up” EP features drummer-percussionist Steve Decker, keyboardist-engineer Arlan Feiles, bassist Andy Hess, vocalist Layonne Holmes, violinist-violist Gary Oleyar, and lap steel guitarist-engineer Matt Smith. Additional mixing engineers are Ernie Fortunato and Tom Camuso, while Joel Lambert served as mastering engineer.
"I'm really proud of this record, and I think that it has a depth and timeless quality to it that has potential to endure,” Carmen said. “There's a real flow and energy to these songs that really speaks out."
Having just finished a handful of acoustic shows around the tristate area, Wiser Time will play a free show Oct. 3 with Rob Clores at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City. A spring tour will be announced soon.
By the way, the name Wiser Time was inspired by the classic Black Crowes song.
“Early on when I was forming and putting everything together, I was showing someone a song that I had written, and he said that the song reminded him of ‘Wiser Time’ by the Crowes,” Carmen said. “I loved the meaning behind the song and it’s an amazing track It fit perfectly with my Kerouac/ “On The Road” vibe of what I was creating, and it just became the theme and persona. It’s really about my personal journey and growth through experience and time.”
For more about Wiser Time, visit www.wisertimemusic.com.
Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and contact Bob at [email protected].
About the author:
New Jersey Stage is proud to be the home of Bob Makin's Makin Waves column since 2017. His Song of the Week column comes out every Friday. He also writes an Album of the Month and Interview of the Month as well.
EVENT PREVIEWS
Good Damage to perform at House of Independents on July 15th
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- New Jersey alt rock/pop-punk band Good Damage will return to the House of Independents on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 supporting American Vanity and Faded 2 Gray. This will be the band's third time playing the venue. Doors are at 7:00pm, music starts at 8:00pm.
WBJB's Songwriters on the Beach series presents Nicole Atkins on Thursday
(BRADLEY BEACH, NJ) -- WBJB's Songwriters on the Beach presents Nicole Atkins on Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 7:00pm. Cory Blair will open the night. The free outdoor concert takes place at the Newark Avenue Beach in Bradley Beach.
Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul to Headline Concert at ParkStage on July 17th
(FREEHOLD, NJ) -- Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul will headline a concert at ParkStage on Friday, July 17, 2026 that fans of Jersey music will love. The lineup includes Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, Jake Clemons Band, Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers with Gary U.S. Bonds, and The Weeklings. Showtime is 4:00pm.
Scottish Rite Auditorium hosts An Evening with Patty Griffin & Kathleen Edwards
(COLLINGSWOOD, NJ) -- The Scottish Rite Auditorium hosts An Evening with Patty Griffin & Kathleen Edwards on Friday, July 17, 2026 at 8:00pm. The concert is presented by the Camden County Board of Commissioners.
LoMotion Live Presents America at 250: A Celebration in Song to Benefit Elks Army of Hope
(PARSIPPANY, NJ) -- LoMotion Live invites the community to an inspiring evening of music, storytelling, and patriotism with America at 250: A Celebration in Song, a special benefit cabaret on Friday, July 17, 2026 at the Parsippany Arts Center. Showtime is 7:30pm. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the Elks Army of Hope, a charitable program dedicated to providing assistance to veterans, active-duty military personnel, and their families during times of need.
Grounds For Sculpture and Third Way Cultural Alliance to Present an Intimate Evening of Art and Music on July 18th
(HAMILTON, NJ) -- Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) and Third Way Cultural Alliance announce a special evening celebrating the power of creative freedom through music, art and conversation. "Creative Freedom: A Salon Experience featuring Marshall Allen, Salvador Jiménez-Flores and Jamaaladeen Tacuma," will take place on Saturday, July 18, 2026 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.
DePue Brothers Band to Bring "Grassical" Music to Sewell
(SEWELL, NJ) -- Music at Bunker Hill welcomes the DePue Brothers Band on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at 3:00pm. In a departure from the series' customary chamber music fare, the DePue Brothers Band has long coined their music with the term "grassical," the combination of bluegrass with jazz, blues, rock, folk, and classical.
Albert Music Hall's "Back to Our Roots" Benefit on Sunday to Support Preservation of Pinelands Music History
(WARETOWN, NJ) -- Albert Music Hall will present Back to Our Roots, a special fundraising concert on Sunday, July 19, 2026, inviting music lovers to enjoy an afternoon of live performances while helping preserve an important piece of New Jersey's musical heritage.
New Jersey Symphony to Make Rowan's Marie Rader Series Debut with "Life & Liberty" on July 22nd
(GLASSBORO, NJ) -- The Marie Rader Series will launch its 2026-27 season, entitled "Life & Liberty," with the New Jersey Symphony's Rowan University debut. On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, New Jersey Symphony Chamber Players featuring Rowan University Strings Faculty & Alumni will perform at Pfleeger Concert Hall. Showtime is 7:00pm.
The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Blues For Greeny and the music of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac
(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Blues For Greeny - The Music of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Dude Cervantes & The Panchos will open the night. Doors are at 7:00pm, music starts at 7:30pm.
FEATURED EVENTS
