(Ruffling through some legal documentation) Are we sure we can cover this? I mean I’m open to music of all kinds; wobble boards and digeridoo's included, but this seems like a push even for us! (Double checks email) Oh...oh ok my bad...It’s WOLF ALICE, not ROLF HARRIS...sincerely my bad. Untie that kangaroo, we’re going in a different direction, change of plan, hop along Skippy, simple misunderstanding...untie that kid too! (Behind the scenes commotion) Look just let the kid go! Give him some sweets and a fiver and get him gone! Jesus! OK a tenner we can stretch that, just get rid! Sorry folks...technical difficulties...Matt stop trying to box that kangaroo!
WOLF ALICE, who originally formed in London as an acoustic duo, have over the years cemented themselves as a decorated and critically acclaimed outfit, fleeting between shoe-gaze indie-pop, folk, and grunge influenced dreamy post-pop. They’ve won Brit Awards, iTunes Awards, a Mercury Prize, NME Awards, and been nominated for countless others in their career...and 2025 finds them hoping to add to their list of accolades and accomplishments, as they release their latest album “The Clearing”. The question is, are WOLF ALICE going to have us howling like “Dog Soldiers”? Hit us for six and leave us equally discombobulated as disembowelled, or are they going to be like the twink puppers from “Twilight” and leave us equally devoid of rationale and respect? All will be made clear when we press play...
We open up with “Thorns”, yet the soft piano keys and string instrumentation are about as sharp as a wet sponge covered in butter. And as a Brit, not even I would put that in a sandwich. It’s a metaphor really for the therapeutic process of art and song writing; the thorn representing the thing that’s irked and inspired you to create, but then the guilt of feeling like you’re able to extort gain from the experience through song. “Ooh I must be a narcissist, God knows that I can’t resist, to make a song and dance about it...”. It’s like, they’ve channelled real life situations into song, but there’s a nagging doubt of pretentiousness demeaning them and they can’t win. It’s almost a case of damned if I do, damned if I don’t, and it’s a damning insight into an artist's psyche; fake and fortune, or sincere and struggle? The industry higher-ups are the real thorns in the side of every artist...you’re either marketable or you’re maligned. It’s actually a beautiful intro...
We follow this up with first promotional single “Bloom Baby Bloom” and we’re immediately met with a more upbeat, jovial piece of music. However again it’s a song of defiance. “Do I have to make you sit on your hands? Fucking baby, baby man, do you want me to show you who I am?”. These lyrics scream strip-club etiquette, and it’s like they’re saying, keep your greasy hands off, we’re the artists, and we’ll do what WE want, what WE are comfortable with...there maybe money involved, you may have requests, personally, professionally, but we’re doing the creating, and keep your mitts to yourself. I want doesn’t always get. There’s a great drum track and a funk-filled rhythm underlying this track, some powerful vocal projection. This is a middle finger to executives and really anyone in your life who believes they have control over you. They don’t. You do you, and bloom.
Closing track “The Sofa” is also a promotional single and it’s a deeply reflective track...a very personal track, about normality really. Dreams of reaching California, living in North London, accepting a sense of stability as an outcome while dreaming of living in LA, laying on the sofa watching reruns, knowing there’s this passion inside you that longs for this, but while it may not be on the cards just yet, don’t quash your dreams. Things might not be as you want right now, but it doesn’t mean things are going bad, or wrong. Being sprawled on the sofa may seem like a defeatist attitude but use that time to better yourself mentally; to rest, regroup and plan your next move. Do whatever it is that makes YOU happy and prepare for a wildly adventurous future on your terms. Self-preservation is not laziness.
Album highlights include tracks like “Passenger Seat”, which incorporate those string elements with a lightly bluesy country number, and the easy-going acoustics with the simplistic drumbeat provide perfect backing for Ellie Rowsell’s harmonious soprano vocals. It’s short, it’s lulling and outright pleasant as a listen. “Bread Butter Tea Sugar” on paper isn’t the recipe for a good snack let along song, but it’s got a decent bounce to it, with some piano driven, subtle glam pop that harks back to the late 70’s and again, the strings are prominent, carrying the vocals elegantly. Joff Oddie provides a lovely little guitar solo too adding and extra dynamic, but the track ends far too swiftly.
Penultimate track “White Horses” has a little more drive and distinction, a little more bass within its acoustic presentation, and it carries with it a folky, country swagger with a solid groove and rhythm. It’s a simple but enjoyable track that in ways could pass for a modern-day JEFFERSON AIRPLANE. Piano ballads like “Play It Out” are sweet, innocent in the hushed vocal delivery, which is quite popular now with the likes of BILLIE EILISH, but it’s a deep song of motherhood, or sadly lack thereof. Ellie is pushing herself creatively and striving for her career but questioning her own biological clock, and the conflict it creates as the music supplants motherhood currently. There’s inner turmoil here and this is raw, honest song writing.
All in all, “The Clearing” isn’t an obliteration. It isn’t about some hot naïve indie band full of piss and vinegar looking to go all out to make a name for themselves, with an album full of anthems and floor fillers, that’ll be forgotten about because DJ’s will ALWAYS play THE KILLERS and ARCTIC MONKEYS regardless, this clearing is more a case of clarity of mind; a deeply introspective, personal record that SHOULD touch you. It SHOULD resonate with real life struggles. It’s about identity and self-worth, self-respect as much as it’s about self-doubt. WOLF ALICE here haven’t cried wolf...they’ve let the wolf in, fed it and made peace with the conflict that balances life. The eleven tracks here may not be instant radio hits, but oh my, Grandma...what great songs you write. The wolf looked at me stupid, clearly, I’d been drinking again, and proceeded to eat me alive. We’d have been better off with Rolf Harris... [6]. Words: Gavin Griffiths.
Tickets for the upcoming live tour, and more information, can be found via the links below.
WOLF ALICE, who originally formed in London as an acoustic duo, have over the years cemented themselves as a decorated and critically acclaimed outfit, fleeting between shoe-gaze indie-pop, folk, and grunge influenced dreamy post-pop. They’ve won Brit Awards, iTunes Awards, a Mercury Prize, NME Awards, and been nominated for countless others in their career...and 2025 finds them hoping to add to their list of accolades and accomplishments, as they release their latest album “The Clearing”. The question is, are WOLF ALICE going to have us howling like “Dog Soldiers”? Hit us for six and leave us equally discombobulated as disembowelled, or are they going to be like the twink puppers from “Twilight” and leave us equally devoid of rationale and respect? All will be made clear when we press play...
We open up with “Thorns”, yet the soft piano keys and string instrumentation are about as sharp as a wet sponge covered in butter. And as a Brit, not even I would put that in a sandwich. It’s a metaphor really for the therapeutic process of art and song writing; the thorn representing the thing that’s irked and inspired you to create, but then the guilt of feeling like you’re able to extort gain from the experience through song. “Ooh I must be a narcissist, God knows that I can’t resist, to make a song and dance about it...”. It’s like, they’ve channelled real life situations into song, but there’s a nagging doubt of pretentiousness demeaning them and they can’t win. It’s almost a case of damned if I do, damned if I don’t, and it’s a damning insight into an artist's psyche; fake and fortune, or sincere and struggle? The industry higher-ups are the real thorns in the side of every artist...you’re either marketable or you’re maligned. It’s actually a beautiful intro...
We follow this up with first promotional single “Bloom Baby Bloom” and we’re immediately met with a more upbeat, jovial piece of music. However again it’s a song of defiance. “Do I have to make you sit on your hands? Fucking baby, baby man, do you want me to show you who I am?”. These lyrics scream strip-club etiquette, and it’s like they’re saying, keep your greasy hands off, we’re the artists, and we’ll do what WE want, what WE are comfortable with...there maybe money involved, you may have requests, personally, professionally, but we’re doing the creating, and keep your mitts to yourself. I want doesn’t always get. There’s a great drum track and a funk-filled rhythm underlying this track, some powerful vocal projection. This is a middle finger to executives and really anyone in your life who believes they have control over you. They don’t. You do you, and bloom.
Closing track “The Sofa” is also a promotional single and it’s a deeply reflective track...a very personal track, about normality really. Dreams of reaching California, living in North London, accepting a sense of stability as an outcome while dreaming of living in LA, laying on the sofa watching reruns, knowing there’s this passion inside you that longs for this, but while it may not be on the cards just yet, don’t quash your dreams. Things might not be as you want right now, but it doesn’t mean things are going bad, or wrong. Being sprawled on the sofa may seem like a defeatist attitude but use that time to better yourself mentally; to rest, regroup and plan your next move. Do whatever it is that makes YOU happy and prepare for a wildly adventurous future on your terms. Self-preservation is not laziness.
Album highlights include tracks like “Passenger Seat”, which incorporate those string elements with a lightly bluesy country number, and the easy-going acoustics with the simplistic drumbeat provide perfect backing for Ellie Rowsell’s harmonious soprano vocals. It’s short, it’s lulling and outright pleasant as a listen. “Bread Butter Tea Sugar” on paper isn’t the recipe for a good snack let along song, but it’s got a decent bounce to it, with some piano driven, subtle glam pop that harks back to the late 70’s and again, the strings are prominent, carrying the vocals elegantly. Joff Oddie provides a lovely little guitar solo too adding and extra dynamic, but the track ends far too swiftly.
Penultimate track “White Horses” has a little more drive and distinction, a little more bass within its acoustic presentation, and it carries with it a folky, country swagger with a solid groove and rhythm. It’s a simple but enjoyable track that in ways could pass for a modern-day JEFFERSON AIRPLANE. Piano ballads like “Play It Out” are sweet, innocent in the hushed vocal delivery, which is quite popular now with the likes of BILLIE EILISH, but it’s a deep song of motherhood, or sadly lack thereof. Ellie is pushing herself creatively and striving for her career but questioning her own biological clock, and the conflict it creates as the music supplants motherhood currently. There’s inner turmoil here and this is raw, honest song writing.
All in all, “The Clearing” isn’t an obliteration. It isn’t about some hot naïve indie band full of piss and vinegar looking to go all out to make a name for themselves, with an album full of anthems and floor fillers, that’ll be forgotten about because DJ’s will ALWAYS play THE KILLERS and ARCTIC MONKEYS regardless, this clearing is more a case of clarity of mind; a deeply introspective, personal record that SHOULD touch you. It SHOULD resonate with real life struggles. It’s about identity and self-worth, self-respect as much as it’s about self-doubt. WOLF ALICE here haven’t cried wolf...they’ve let the wolf in, fed it and made peace with the conflict that balances life. The eleven tracks here may not be instant radio hits, but oh my, Grandma...what great songs you write. The wolf looked at me stupid, clearly, I’d been drinking again, and proceeded to eat me alive. We’d have been better off with Rolf Harris... [6]. Words: Gavin Griffiths.
Tickets for the upcoming live tour, and more information, can be found via the links below.
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