Wolf Alice - 'The Clearing' Album Review

Sean Friswell
3 hours ago
4 min read

Tracklist:

Thorns
Bloom Baby Bloom
Just Two Girls
Leaning Against the Wall
Passenger Seat
Play It Out
Bread Butter Tea Sugar
Safe in the World
Midnight Song
White Horses
The Sofa

Wolf Alice are back with their new album, their fourth and their first on Sony Records, 'The Clearing', which is released today, the 22^nd of August.

There have been some trailer singles such as 'Bloom Baby Bloom' which have been real teasers as they have hinted very strongly at innovation and growth in the band. 'Bloom Baby Bloom' being clearly influenced by a Chorus Line, both in its video and the underpinning piano and bass line.

I think this album is Wolf Alice’s world domination album. They’ve clearly decided to go for it big time. Their rocky background is clearly still there but it feels like there is more a groove to this album, also more of an almost 70’s rock vibe, 'Just Two Girls' being a prime example of this.

'Leaning Against The Wall' has a very chilled vibe, the multi-layered vocals given it an almost ethereal feel. ‘I use the courage of white wine’ being a brilliant line in the context of the song but I couldn’t quite work out what the actual relationship with the person leaning up against the wall was. There is an almost stalker vibe to the song, but I can’t decide if that’s just the depth of the emotion being felt or something more, this needs a lot more listens!

What did start coming through to me while listening was that there was a degree of Wolf Alice channelling their inner west coast vibe while remembering their folk routes and still hinted at some shoe gaze influences. One song in particular, 'Passenger Seat', made me think Sheryl Crow at her finest while others veer into more of a Kate Bush vibe.

What very much comes through is Wolf Alice have used their recent break to write some brilliant songs; the quality of their song writing has improved immeasurably from an already high baseline. Their willingness to experiment, push their boundaries and let the lyrics do the talking is impressive.

Less is more is clearly a watchword on some songs, but others clearly have a bit of a kitchen sink approach which absolutely works. Everything is on both a grander and a more intimate scale at the same time. A unique trick but, for instance, 'Play It Out' is both very basic in its approach and also very ambitious. The vocals are choral like at times, but the underpinning piano is beautiful, the lyrics draw you in and the whole thing screams you need this for the intimate moment of your next Hollywood film.

'Bread Butter Tea Sugar' is the just brilliant, the pace, the vocals, the vibe. I’m not sure what they were trying to do with this song, and I don’t care. It has a 70’s vibe to it that I loved, the strings, the driving rhythm section, the guitar, , at times I thought it could be a lost abba song, what isn’t to like?

'Safe In The World' is so different, it has hints of classic Aimee Mann and Till Tuesday. At times I struggled to get my head around how much this album morphs and yet at the same time is a seamless body of work.

If I’m honest I don’t think this is what I expected it to be on a very good way, I think it may challenge perceptions of Wolf Alice. Some of this album feels like it’s going back to their original roots, but anyone coming to it with an open mind is going to love it.

Ellie’s singing has never been better, never been more confident or more emotional. The rest of the group have all upped their game as well, musically it’s both ambitious and reverential of what has gone before.

'White Horses' feels like a real change of pace at first, unexpected after what had gone before, but them you realise its prefect, it just works at that stage of the album. It will make a great song for the crowd to dance along to; how do you feel about an indie rock west coast rock song?

Closing song, 'The Sofa', will be a perfect light out, phone lights on moment when they play it live. Once again, the mix of the piano and the vocals with an understated rhythm section is quite simply just lush. It makes me think of times like classic 60’s songs. I could see Dusty Springfield singing it no problem. It has a very self-indulgent vibe to it but in a very music lounge in Las Vegas with the Rat Pack looking on.

I think we may had a contender for album of the year with this release, its diverse, it’s challenging, it’s got a lovely vibe to it, it is like sinking into a warm bubble bath at times with a glass of your favourite tipple in your hand, at other times it rocks and yet it also makes me want to dance. It’s pretty close to being perfect and I suspect there may be a few nominations to come, I would hope that as a band, they are very proud of this album as I think they undoubtedly should be, the word that springs to mind is effervescent. A band that has finalised realised how good they can be and have decided to show everyone else!