A GRANDEUR REVEAL ON MATURITY | WOLF ALICE UNLEASH NEW ALBUM ‘THE CLEARING’
ALBUM REVIEW | WOLF ALICE – THE CLEARING by Gracie Erskine
A four year drought since the groundbreaking ‘Blue Weekend’ and Wolf Alice return to bless their holy ground with a dignified nuance that personifies emotional maturity, musical integrity and the complex beauty of the saviours that regard themselves as Wolf Alice.
Whilst the wait may have had fans gripping their sofas in anticipation of new music, the gold-dusted fourth album tangles through change, a folk-jazz shift that still lifts the fire from their belly, just with a little more glamour.
Rowsell claws at your inner workings with the hands that have already torn herself apart in opener ‘Thorns’; ‘I must be a narcissist, God know that I can’t resist to make a song and dance about it’. In true Wolf Alice fashion, the revelations of your own insecurities are mirrored and cranked to ten by the cruelly heaven-sent vocal layering’s that the frontwoman wraps you with. The track plunges your soul in the same way Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’ sinks Renton into the carpet in Trainspotting.
Like a jazz funk piano riff to craving Wolf Alice fans, ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’ exacerbates the relief of the bands return. 4 years since their once piece de resistance ‘Blue Weekend’, and the gripping clutch of the lead single exports every strength of the band. The four piece’s ability to diversify their sound and exceed is proven. Bassist Theo Ellis rumbles his fingers in the groove of the track, whilst Rowsell makes collage of her torment and delicacy in her vocals.
Embracing girlhood in purest form, ‘she looks so pretty it was fucking offensive’, daggers every woman’s introspective antagonist thoughts intertwined with the beauty of friendship. ‘Just Two Girls’ effortlessly curls through its punches with its, guitarist Joff Oddie slashes across its glowing ferocity to cultivate the aggressive fairytale of the track.
Wandering into a folk scene, ‘Leaning Against The Wall’ swirls its paintbrush to pencil longing in a montage flash, that sounds like 35mm film looks. The track feels most sentiment to the band’s biggest hit ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’, in its yearn that’s plucks you into a spinning field of flushed love.
Confirming the bands flitting title of a modern-day Fleetwood Mac is ‘Passenger Seat’. It’s rolling set of six, and ability to indulge beneath your skin satisfies your placement within The Clearing. The track prospers with ‘power play’ as the London singer reposes for her lover to ‘take the wheel’. Rowsell inks the quill in her storytelling for the bands fourth album, quarrying in resentment through ‘Play It Out’, each element of the band intertwines with such divinity that truly guides the listener.
Drummer Joel Army subsides fans demands for a vocal return on ‘White Horses’, his first time retrieving the mic since debut album fan favourite ‘Swallowtail’. In a brooding almost spoken-word folk stream on identity and familiarity, the track seals the stamp on introspection no matter who is behind the mic.
Closing the box with comfort at settling in attractable misery, ‘The Sofa’ cruises with a twining despair that adopts such empathy, like taking the last drag of a cigarette before grinding your foot at it on the floor. Tender and devoted, the track dazzles in its soft guitar and twiddling piano juxtaposing the turmoil ‘I wanna settle down, oh, to fall in love. But, sometimes, I just want to fuck’.
The Clearing hosts a grandeur reveal on maturity, haloing their catalogue with a distinct identity and a sonically caressing clutch. Whilst the days of rage rafter riffs and megaphone meltdowns are gone, Wolf Alice emerge from the Blue Weekend sand and into the rippling waves of The Clearing in an impression affirming renaissance for the band.
Wolf Alice take on their biggest UK and Ireland tour this November with remaining tickets on sale now.
