Wolf Alice - My Love is Cool
by Gillian Fish
published: 5 / 7 / 2015
Label:
Dirty Hit Records
Format: CD
intro
Phenomenal debut album from the difficult to pin-down Wolf Alice, which switches effortlessly from folk to grungey guitars
North Londoners Wolf Alice are finally set to release their long-awaited debut album; Recorded in Wood Green, 'My Love is Cool' is the band’s first release since EP 'Creature Songs' in 2014 and has been produced by Mike Crossey who has also worked with Foals and Arctic Monkeys. Having toured extensively both here in the UK and across the pond in the US, and making several high-profile festival appearances over the past eighteen months (including at Glastonbury and Reading and Leeds), they have gathered an ever-expanding fan base with their live shows serving as a taster as to what we were to expect from their full-length debut. Opener ‘Turn to Dust’ is haunting, showcasing Ellie Rowsell’s captivating and delicate vocals. The already familiar ‘Bros’ has been re-worked without losing any of its original charm. It tells the tale of childhood friendship and is a wonderful slice of indie-pop. Recently announced as the new single, ‘You’re a Germ’ provides the perfect jump around, sing-along moment with its count-up lyrics of “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven/You ain’t going to heaven.” Wolf Alice have always been difficult to define by genre. They recently stated that 'My Love is Cool' would not be a “grunge record”, and the album switches at ease between the softer acoustic-folk moments to the guitar driven head-banging anthems. On ‘Silk’ there are hints of hip-hop and nods to Lana Del Rey, while ‘Lisbon’ has a slightly more 80’s feel to it. It’s their versatility that makes 'My Love is Cool' such an enjoyable debut, and it’s evident that each individual member has brought their own influences to the record. Drummer Joel Amey takes over the vocal duties on ‘Swallowtail’, the gentle, sweeping ballad building to a crescendo towards the end. Perhaps most obvious to long-standing Wolf Alice fans is the omission of previously released songs other than the aforementioned 'Bros' and the superb ‘Fluffy’. The decision could seem like a strange one, but, however, the remaining nine tracks on the album prove Wolf Alice had an extensive catalogue to choose from and the songs chosen to make up the album sit as a collection together just as well as they work individually. Single ‘Giant Peach’ with its catchy guitar riffs helped the band to be played on mainstream radio stations when it was released earlier in the year, and it provides one of the albums heavier, grungier moments where Rowsell’s true rock queen status shines through. The hidden track ‘The Wonderwhy’ closes the album beautifully with its echoing vocals and simple melodies. 'My Love is Cool' has been masterfully executed, and it could well be the springboard that launches Wolf Alice to become one of Britain’s biggest and most loved bands.
Track Listing:-
1 Turns To Dust2 Bros
3 Your Loves Whore
4 You're A Germ
5 Lisbon
6 Silk
7 Freazy
8 Giant Peach
9 Swallowtail
10 Soapy Water
11 Fluffy
12 The Wonderwhy
Band Links:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Alicehttp://wolfalice.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/wolfalicemusic
https://twitter.com/wolfalicemusic
Label Links:-
http://www.dirtyhit.co.uk/https://twitter.com/DirtyHitRecords
https://www.facebook.com/DirtyHitRecords
http://www.last.fm/label/Dirty+Hit
live reviews |
Academy, Manchester, 10/3/2016 |
Billy Seagrave watches rising alternative rock band Wolf Alice play an explosive and dynamic set at the Academy in Manchester |
photography |
Photoscapes (2016) |
Darren Aston photographs vocalist and guitarist Ellie Rowsell from North London rock band Wolf Alice at a show at the Arts Club in Liverpool |
soundcloud
most viewed articles
current edition
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.Dennis Tufano - Copernicus Center, Chicago, 19/7/2024
Elliott Murphy - Interview
Wreckless Eric - Interview
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #16: Living in the Minds of Strangers
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #17: Tom Robinson
Adrian Gurvitz - Interview
Norman Rodger - Interview
Chris Spedding - Interview
Penumbra - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Groovy Uncle - Making ExcusesPhilip Parfitt - The Dark Light
Jules Winchester - The Journey
Deep Purple - =1
Bill Wyman - Drive My Car
Ross Couper Band - The Homeroad
Hawkestrel - Chaos Rocks
John Murry and Michael Timmins - A Little Bit of Grace and Decay
Popstar - Obscene
Splashgirl and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe - More Human
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart