London based rock band Wolf Alice are back with their fourth studio album, The Clearing. The album sees them entering a new era, confidently exploring classic rock influences while still showcasing their unique sound.
The Clearing has an easy listening, show tunes feel about it. The band have described chasing the more “adult sentiment” of older tracks such as ‘The Last Man on Earth’ and ‘No Hard Feelings,’ as opposed to their signature guitar fuzz. As someone drawn to their guitar work, I was not instantly mind blown by the album in the way I expected to be. The band’s ability to create rich and often wild soundscapes without as much distortion is astounding, however. While some songs have you dancing and others have you screaming at the top of your lungs, The Clearing was definitely worth the four year wait.
The album’s first song ‘Thorns’ is quite a strange opener. Sombre piano chords guide the song as Rowsell discusses an inherent need to turn pain into art – to literally “make a song and dance about it.” As ever, her lyrics are shamelessly direct, infusing grit into otherwise dream-like instrumentation.
‘Bloom Baby Bloom’ is a completely addictive song which I had on repeat for days when it came out back in May. A deceptively cheerful piano riff opens the song like the calm before the storm, as it soon becomes a blazing anthem about coming into your own power. The band’s range is most evident here, particularly Ellie Rowsell’s vocals – explosive one moment and almost operatic the next. Putting a female spin on iconic rock stars who sing in falsetto, she effortlessly uses her voice as a rock instrument in itself.
Rowsell doesn’t hold back with the lyrics. “Do you want me to show you who I am/ see this fire in my eyes boy, that’s your flash in the pan,” she sings, each syllable a gut punch. The pre-chorus belts are immensely cathartic and I can’t wait to scream them at their live shows later this year. As Rowsell screams how she is “so sick and tired of tryna play it hard,” it speaks to the expectations surrounding women in the music industry, and the exasperation of constantly having to prove your own worth. The chorus again changes direction, and it’s hard to believe it’s the same song.
‘Just Two Girls’ is a carefree song with a catchy melody. It celebrates hanging out with your friends in a very relatable way, from drinks at the bar to the hungover morning debrief. Next is ‘Leaning Against The Wall,’ a standout for me. The opening background chatter brilliantly sets the scene, with folky guitars reminding us of Wolf Alice’s acoustic origins. The band blend their vintage and modern influences so well, as synths and electronic drums are welcomed into the song. Rowsell asks “is love our greatest performance?” again returning to ideas discussed in ‘Thorns.’ Although love can have performative aspects, this doesn’t make it any less genuine for her. The composition is almost visual, reflecting her storytelling perfectly. It emulates the band’s earlier use of wall-of-noise, but with their usual distorted guitars traded for more surreal instrumentation.
‘Passenger Seat’ is another lighthearted love song. In true classic rock fashion, Wolf Alice seem to be writing about simplistic topics such as cars and love. The literature student in me was reminded of Frank O’Hara’s ‘Having A Coke With You,’ a poem that depicts romantic love through very simple acts. This lyrical minimalism takes a turn on ‘Play It Out,’ however. The first line, “when my body can no longer make a mother of me,” sees Rowsell wondering how her life will change as she grows older. What follows is some really powerful imagery surrounding stereotypes of motherhood and marriage, yet she delivers these haunting lyrics as if singing a lullaby. The drums come in halfway through, as the vocals become more crazed. Rowsell vows to “rock the cradle with a babeless hand” and “build sandcastles in the hourglass sand,” refusing to let the passage of time limit her.
Both ‘Bread Butter Tea Sugar,’ and ‘Safe in the World’ make use of clumsy pianos and string arrangements. This actually reminded me of Panic! At The Disco’s venture into baroque pop on their 2008 album Pretty Odd. ‘Bread Butter Tea Sugar’ also features a spoken word section which finally mentions coming “into a clearing.” It feels a bit out of place in the love song, and leaves us wondering what the significance of the album’s title is. The following ‘Midnight Song’ lays down hypnotic vocals over acoustic arpeggios. Rowsell sings “I find the midnight song in me,” reassurance of the party girl that still exists within her.
The final two songs help to ground the album again after its extravagant venture into baroque pop. The penultimate track ‘White Horses’ is my favourite of the singles and perhaps off the album. Drummer Joel Amey takes lead vocals, stylishly delivering lyrics exploring his own heritage. It’s his version of ‘Bloom Baby Bloom,’ filled with personal mantras about having the freedom to choose your family and find your identity. Rowsell joins Amey in the chorus, channeling The Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan with her free-spirited wails. The two singers harmonise together in the chorus, embracing the freedom of nomadic lifestyles. It is perhaps a wider testament to their refusal to remain in one genre for too long. “Let the branches wrap their arms around me,” Rowsell sings, a line I particularly loved for its allusion to the Angela Carter story and the band’s namesake. Like the girl in the story who could not be tamed, the woods still call to Wolf Alice despite their change in sound.
First released in July, ‘The Sofa’ is a perfect end to the album. This was a natural choice for the band, who described a “rolling credits feeling” when recording the song. The contemplative piano ballad features some gorgeous strings and a catchy chorus, although I felt the lyrics were slightly unimaginative here. Overall, the song reflects coming to terms with things that haven’t happened in your life. The lyrics are reminiscent of ‘Delicious Things’ from Blue Weekend, both mentioning the pursuit of dreams in America only for things to not work out. I found this really comforting, as a recent graduate wanting to pursue many different paths. Rowsell is aware of how much choice there is in life – even down to the media we consume – but accepts that sometimes it’s fine to just do nothing.
For fans of Wolf Alice’s guitar driven music, The Clearing might require some adjustment but is by no means a bad album. The singles are all fantastic, while the rest of the album is just unexpected. Regardless, Rowsell continues to be one of the best frontwomen around and her virtuosity is undeniable throughout this record.
The Clearing highlights how much the band have matured since their formation in 2010. As in the Carter story, little Alice has left the woods and come into the clearing as an adult. And yet, Rowsell uses the final track to remind us that the “wild thing” in her has not been tamed, and that Alice still runs with the wolves.
Have a listen here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2kKc3Yid0YR3SSbeQ3x5kV?si=TscFMNcNRryktdrPsnwooQ
Article by Lauren Wilson
