Wolf Alice’s long
awaited second album is due to be released on 29th September, the
band have built up the anticipation for their new album, Visions Of A Life. Having sent post cards with a snippet of each
tracks lyrics to their fans, they’ve managed to keep people on their toes and
unable to forget the albums due. They’ve also released three tracks off the
album. Coming back with a loud bang and a statement punching a lot of attitude,
Yuk Foo was the perfect track for
them to release. Followed by Don’t
Delete The Kisses, the soft spoken word track gave a brilliant inside into
the album. Their first album My Love Is
Cool showcased their variety of musical ability, containing heavier
grunge filled tracks such as Giant Peach
and Fluffy that contrasted to softer
and delicate tracks such as Blush
and White Leather. The album was
full of boundary breaking songs that together display what Wolf Alice are all
about. Their second album is no exception to this. The third single they
released off the new album, Beautifully
Unconventional, is an upbeat pop rock track, this feel good song is short
but sweet and has left fans excited for the release of the full album.
Visions Of A Life contains 12 tracks, the first album was a mix of 90s alt-rock, thrashing guitars and indie-pop rock, however they’ve
gone above and beyond with their second album and have extended their list of
genre influences by daringly tackling prog and psychedelia. Heavenward is the opening track onto
the second album, easing you in with a combination of sweet
melodies, Ellie’s alluring vocals and hectic fuzzy, distorted guitars. Leading
into Yuk Foo, Beautifully Unconventional and Don’t Delete The Kisses. From then
onwards the album is unheard bliss.
The fifth track on the album is one of my favourites, Planet Hunter is one of the softer
songs. The opening guitar melody at the start of the song immediately sets you
at ease before joined by Ellie’s angelic voice. Lyrically the song appears to
explore the idea of self-identity and self-doubt, the first verse starting off
with ‘A moments happiness/under the
influence/I tried all night to recreate/and it was never ever gonna last long/ it
was only ever gonna go wrong/and in the morning I only ever have myself to
blame’, the main line that stands out in the chorus is ‘I left my mind back
in 2015’ which leaves us to wonder how things may have changed for the band
since the release of their debut album back in 2015. Although instrumentally
the track is much softer than most of the album, you would be a fool to thing
Wolf Alice didn’t include any fuzz or punk worthy riffs.
Track six on the album is
Sky Musings, following in the footsteps of Don’t Delete The Kisses, Ellie
is speaking rather than singing. Although Don’t Delete The Kisses is a lighter in subject, the story of a girl with a crush and the insecurities to act on it, Sky
Musings is much more dark and complex lyrically. The narrator is on a plane so
the opening lyrics revolve around that. However specific lines stand out: ‘Is it the pressure because I’m out of my mind’, taken
out of context, could be perceived to mean many things
and Rowsell’s intentions are not obvious, however big fans will know her lyrics
are much more complex than they first appear. Following on from Planet Hunter
the lyrics also seem to be seeped in self-doubt, mixed with a panic attack
whilst mid-flight. The drumbeat takes you through the panic and links you with the protagonist, making you feel that intensity. By this point in the album
we can see how much of a personal journey it is, documenting the bands life
since the release of the first album and their endless touring and emotional
journey it has taken them on.
No. 7 is Formidable
Cool, another spoken song, with more shouting and heavier guitars. The song
really builds in tension within the second half of the song, each instrument is
extremely strong, it’s hard to decide which one to focus on. This is another
track that Wolf Alice have brought synth into, don’t let the idea of synth
scare you, they haven’t suddenly turned their songs into electronic rock, the
synth is dreamy and subtle and adds another complex layer to Wolf Alice that
you didn’t even realise you wanted.
Space & Time
is another short track, finishing at 2:27. This is one of the upbeat songs off
the album, one of the ones you want to dance too. With a section that suddenly
cuts all instruments out other than a melodic guitar line and then snapping
back into loud drums, distorted guitars and Theo’s rhythmic bassline, this song
will leave you wondering what the hell just happened in the best of ways. I
think this will be one the most loved songs on the album due to its less
intense lyrics and easy listening, it’s one of the ones you’d put into a party
playlist. (This being a party playlist of good taste obviously, no 00s chart
toppers and corny favourites)
Sadboy is another
of my favourites on the album, and as a big lover of folk its no wonder. Sadboy
brings in the folk-rock we loved on the first album and have yet to see in
Visions Of A Life. It’s melodic and lovely, Joel’s drum patterns give you as
much content as his backing vocals. Wolf Alice are known for smashing brilliant
outros and this song is no exception to that. Who hurt you sad boy, you look like you’re already dead are lyrics
set to captivate their listeners, this track has so many layers for its
listeners to explore.
In correlation to the opening of its name St. Purple & Green begins as some
kind of church ballad with Ellie’s vocals being something we have never seen
before. This is quickly interrupted by heavy instruments that ease back down to
deliver soft vocals, light guitar. Like every song on the album, this song
delves into a wide mix of genres, especially bringing in some of the psychedelic
sounds that combined with angelic vocals and soothing drum patterns are enough
to send you into a relaxed trance. After
the Zero Hour follows from this, and continues to leave you in your soothed
state. The guitar is quite simple and yet almost hair raising, Ellie’s voice is
particularly delicate on this track as are the drums. This track is the powerful
fairy-tale on the album, it will leave you mesmerised.
And finally then, the album’s title track, Visions Of A Life. At 7 minute and 57
seconds it’s the longest song on the album. Following on from After the Zero
Hour, the opening instrumentation snaps you back out of the calm you were in
and leaves you full of anticipation. Starting off grungey but not too heavy you’re
left clueless as to where this track is going to go. The answer? Everywhere.
This is Wolf Alice’s final track on their second album and if you thought they’d
do anything but show you absolutely everything they’ve got, raise your heart
beat a few times and bring it back down then what were you thinking? The middle
of the song contains a raucous breakdown section full of punky guitar riffs,
heavy bass filled with ferocious attitude and drums to keep you on your toes. They say journeys end in lovers meeting, but
my journey ends when my heart stops beating, are the lyrics I received on my
postcode, I was left in awe at them, I couldn’t wait to see how Ellie would
sing them, if the song would be soft or heavy, and I couldn’t decide which I wanted
it to be. I was given both and I was not disappointed.
I’m a little biased, but to me there’s no doubt that Visions
Of A Life is thus far, and will remain, the greatest album release of 2017. It’s
a whirlwind of contemporary grunge, shoegaze, prog-rock and so much more,
compacted into this perfectly written 12 track album. It’s got everything you
could need and more. It still sounds like Wolf Alice but with an added punch
that keeps it from just being an extension of the first album, they’ve made
something brand new without putting you off, no one wants a bands second album
to be overly far-fetched from their first that you can’t hear a single element
from what you know them to be. You want something familiar and comforting but still
exciting and new, and no surprise Wolf Alice have achieved that balance
perfectly. I fully believe that Ellie Rowsell is one of the best song writers
and musicians to come out of contemporary scenes.
Review written by Holly Beson-Tams.
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