The Mighty 'Wolf Alice'

Wolf Alice have been a favourite of mine for 2/3 years now and the release of their highly anticipated debut album My Love Is Cool on June 22nd was a momentous occasion. 

This record is overflowing with smooth basslines, haunting vocals and guitar sounds I didn't think were possible to make. Wolf Alice took their time with this debut and could have quite easily made a record with their previous EP hits; but they didn't. They surprised us all with a tracklist filled with new songs in an array of styles. A unique feature of this record is the uncertainty of exactly which way the band is going, grunge/indie/pop or a completely new unnamed and exciting genre. Their unpredictability is refreshing for listeners and I love that they haven't been shoved into a certain genre, each track brings a different sound but with an undoubtable Wolf Alice ceal and with it room for the band to develop. In my eyes, that's what makes My Love Is Cool a successful debut album. 

Ellie's diverse voice brings clear cut chills on the opening track Turn To Dust and transforms to fit the menacing tones of Giant Peach and Fluffy. Her instantly recognizable voice and interesting lyrics deliver throughout the record, some personal favourite lyrics are: "I don't tell lies no more ya know I just don't tell the truth." , "some half-human creature thing." and "you can join us if you think you're wild, you can join us if you're a feral child." 

Another iconic feature of Wolf Alice is the madman genius that is guitarist Joff and the sounds he can get out of that poor Fender. Their songs are laden with technical tricks and licks as well as piercing screams from the instrument which brings an unexplainable spark to their style, most notably in Giant Peach. After seeing Wolf Alice live a few times, I've seen the colourful array of pedals Joff uses to create his unique sound along with how he manipulates his guitar; his sound and style is quite unlike anything else I've encountered in my short lived life, something I find incredibly interesting. 

Trying to pick a favourite track from this album would be like trying to pick a favourite child, but I am going to share my thoughts on some of them. 

We'll start with an interesting oddball in the mix, Swallowtail. This track took me pleasantly by surprise as the smooth tones of drummer Joel's voice take lead vocal. His mellow, subdued voice floats effortlessly over the music while Joff works his magic to create a contrasting guitar melody. Swallowtail is a melancholy song that allows you to wallow in Joel's soft voice and the incredible build towards the end of the track. The classic quiet to loud format is used and each new layer of sound edges deeper down resulting in a final explosive guitar sound, a true win-win situation. 

A Wolf Alice classic and much loved track is Bros. This homage to life long friends has been part of Wolf Alice's repertoire for a very long time. A happy-go-lucky song it instantly puts me in a great mood and allows for nostalgia to take over, they've successfully created a song that can be personal to everyone in their own way as we all have our 'Bros' (Hi Anna). I do however have to say that I am unsure of the production of this track and I often find myself reverting to the EP version, but that's just personal preference.  

A track that definitely has not faltered on in production is Fluffy! The album version demonstrates Fluffy in all its full sounding glory. Everything about this track is fantastic: tight drum patterns, relatable lyrics, excellent riffs and the ecstatic feeling it gives you. This track needs to be played very loud and preferably while you have space to jump around. It is also remarkable how accurately they play this live. 

After two months of intense listening I can conclude that My Love Is Cool is a bloody marvelous creation from an equally marvelous band. As cliche as it may sound, Wolf Alice are going places and bring a satisfying change to British music. Without a doubt, I'd recommend every single track on this record. A perfect ending for this album is found in the beautiful one-take-wonder that is the hidden track; blissfully played, it's the special ending My Love Is Cool deserves and leaves the listener with all the right feelings. 

Laura