Blue Weekend - Wolf Alice: Review
Wolf Alice
are a versatile indie rock band who have been impressing fans and critics alike with their distinct array of sounds since 2014. After their debut became a bit of a modern cult classic the band found even more success on their sophomore album which ultimately rewarded them with the 2018 Mercury Prize. In the 4 years since its release the band has kept a relatively low profile but emerged earlier this year to begin releasing a string of positively received singles leading up to this albums release.
For about 6 years now Wolf Alice have been one of the most interesting bands in the field of indie rock. Their ability to interpolate genres like dream pop with their indie flavored punk rock is incredibly impressive and has made for a recognizable but also chameleonic sound. That sound was on display on a great debut album that I still really enjoy to this day and it popped up in flashes on their slightly less adventurous sophomore record. Honestly the only thing I wanted from the band was for them to avoid sounding routine, and continue to challenge me artistically in the way that I had always found so interesting. While the first half of this album hints that the decline may be coming, the second half silences any doubt that the band's creativity is hitting any kind of lull.
This record is 11 tracks but it's really like 10 given that the opener The Beach makes use of false builds to feign a grand crescendo while ultimately only serving as an introduction whose payoff comes in the next song. The record doesn't get off to a terrible start or anything, but it's comfortable showing you some of its most flawed tracks right out of the gate. Delicious Things is a dreamy coming of age song about the mystique of a small town girl in the big city. The band attempts to pull it off with steady drumming and a spacious atmosphere. The one thing I don't like about the track is the hook because the quiet verses are honestly catchier and more memorable. While the hook shoots for being very anthemic I with there was a bit more impact behind the "girl like me in Los Angeles" line. Lipstick On The Glass has major Kate Bush vibes on the vocals but the sound is still firmly in the realm of indie rock. The dreamy progression of the instrumental is pretty compelling and it makes the last minute of the song a harrowing highlight. The vocals deliver for the most part but once again the song lacks compelling refrains, making it sound grand but find very few ways to be memorable.
The next two tracks are slightly improved and I'll lump the only lull in the back half of the tracklist in with them. Smile is a single that certainly took me some time to come around to which is nothing new for Wolf Alice. The confidently delivered pseudo rap verses are certainly going to be a barrier of entry for most listeners without even taking into consideration the distortion heavy walls of guitar that bookend the verses. However for some strange reason this is the first song on the record where the band really nail the hook with a simple dreamy refrain that I actually like quite a bit. As the song goes on the performances get better all around and with the intensity building the results are pretty wonderfully realized in the tracks second half. Safe From Heartbreak is a decent short ballad with some of the records best and most focused lyrics. The title sort of gives away the thematic hook but its an effective one nonetheless. I actually like some of the vocal versatility on display even though the instrumental doesn't do much for me there are still things to enjoy about the track. The most forgettable track on the record is No Hard Feelings, a short and ultimately low impact track that relies a bit too much on whisper quiet vocals.
So on the first half of the record there are plenty of songs with good features, but fatal flaws that hold them back. The back half of the record makes no such compromise starting with its best song How Can I Make It OK? right in the middle. It was released as a single right before the record came out and I'm definitely enjoying it more and more each time. It has some distant, anthemic drumming and a super tangible build that makes its group chorus more exciting each time it returns. There are even hints of Fleetwood Mac influence on the verses here and that helps make each moment more exciting and climactic than the last. This transitions well into Play The Greatest Hits the records classic punk song. It has distorted guitars, snarky lead vocals and an up-tempo stricture that is all wrapped up in just over two minutes, once again flexing the versatility of the band and of Ellie as a vocalist. It gives the record a jolt of excitement that it never really comes down from.
Feeling Myself has grown on me a lot with its dense shoegaze like atmosphere and eerie sonic palette. When the track isn't erupting with noise its playing it very close-up and it makes the punches hit hard without having the verses feel like a lull. I'm continually impressed not just by the songs themselves, but also the bands ability to pull them off consecutively. The Last Man On Earth is a single I liked quite a bit and still do. It starts off as a mellow piano ballad type with a soaring hook that gets stuck in my head every single time. Ellie's vocals are really left on an island here with only the occasional backing vocals but she more than handles it. Ultimately when the extra instrumentation floods in it feels like a fitting development and conclusion for the tune. Closing track The Beach II is far more fleshed out than its predecessor and I've come around to the song quite a bit. I love the subtly psychedelic instrumentation and entrancing repeated refrains. I love even more how the whole thing fades out in a dense display of noise and sonic space that makes for a killer final moment.
Blue Weekend proves that Wolf Alice haven't lost their edge, it just takes a little bit to get around to it. While the momentum of a tracklist has been the killer of many records in the past for Blue Weekend it's both a blessing and a curse. The start can be a bit of a slog with wasted potential around every corner but by the end of the album it is hard to not feel satisfied with how strong and versatile the band has looked on the back half. Ultimately I think it joins the ranks of the bands other two record of being impressive in their sonic capabilities, even if I am still holding out a bit for the songwriting to return to the level of their 2015 debut. For indie rock fans, Blue Weekend is going to be a must listen for 2021. 7/10
Album Cover Review by Tyler Judson:
