Being their most cohesive album to date, there is a clear inspiration from the 70s within each song from glam rock melodies, dreamy folk instrumentals and theatrical crescendos. Unashamed of their influences such as Fleetwood Mac, Pentangle and Steely Dan, Ellie Rowsell is "tired of caring what people think" and "just wants to do something fun", which clearly translates through the album’s colourful songs.
Their new album is more refined and focused than ever...
As the band is now in their 30s, having formed in 2010, their new album is more refined and focused than ever, as well as being their most vulnerable yet, echoing the point they are at in their lives. Not only does the songwriting feel like an intimate reflection of their personal lives, but also an examination of vulnerability and truth on a wider scale through lines such as, "Is love our greatest performance?" in ‘Leaning Against A Wall’.
The lyrics are bold and bare to be heard.
Unlike earlier songs, such as 'Yuk Foo' and 'Giant Peach', where the lyrics can be hard to decipher, every song on The Clearing isn’t trying to hide behind thick instrumentals; the lyrics are bold and bare to be heard.
Some of the themes that run like veins connecting this new body of work are explorations on relationships - good and bad - and not knowing what you want, or what you’re doing, or even who you are, and being okay with it. This is a sentiment that most people can relate to, whatever stage of life they are in.
In the third single released, ‘White Horses’, Rowsell sings, "Know who I am. It’s important to me," whether it’s wanting to be known and seen by a loved one, or wanting to understand your own identity, it's a goal that we all strive for in a society which places huge value on the facade of individualism.
Particularly poignant in ‘Leaning Against A Wall’ and ‘Passenger Seat’ is the space created by people in someone’s life - space that sometimes remain filled and other times left like a depressed sofa cushion. Wolf Alice delivers these beautiful vignettes of lives lived, moments shared between people, that are worth being sung about even if the moment doesn’t last.
World of 70s glamour, oscillating between folk, gam rock and flamboyant theatrics.
When listening to this album, which strikes me in comparison to their other albums, is the importance of the instruments on the track. Many of the tracks have an almost-acoustic sound to them, which makes sense considering Rowsell composed most of them on a piano alone, unlike many of their previous songs. They help to create this world of 70s glamour, oscillating between folk, glam rock and flamboyant theatrics.
Roswell's voice cartwheels through breathy folk versus and classic pop choruses...
The vocals are a marvel throughout the album, but particularly on ‘Play It Out’ where they are echoed softly making it sound as if it’s being played on a dusty vinyl. In other songs such as ‘Sofa’ and ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’, the first two singles released ahead of the album, Rowsell’s voice cartwheels through breathy folk versus and classic pop choruses, the vocal gymnastics impressive on their own.
The cohesiveness of Wolf Alice’s The Clearing shines a light on their ambition and drive as a band after their move from their old label Dirty Hit to the music giants Columbia Records, a part of Sony Music. Like the true greats of the 70s, from whom they took inspiration, they have made an album that’s cementing them as a band’s band, in a music economy where bands are becoming endangered.
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You can listen to Wolf Alice's new album, The Clearing, on streaming services now. UK & Ireland tour dates can also be found here.