Wolf Alice – Blue Weekend
The north London quartet’s third effort is a dynamic and diverse journey through love that further secures their status as one of the UK's best acts
Over a decade as a band and two albums in, Wolf Alice continue to transcend a singular definition – a characteristic that grows ever more true with each new release.
Their third effort sees the London lot – and particularly vocalist Ellie Rowsell – embracing a side of vulnerability that previous records have only dared to tease. Born from reflection of personal experiences and candidly exploring relationships, intimacy and love, Rowsell is as open and honest here as she’s ever been. From the sheltered acoustic ballad Safe from Heartbreak (if you never fall in love), acclamations of self-love on Feeling Myself, or the painful pleas of How Can I Make It OK?, at times Blue Weekend feels like a personal diary written in poetry.
Befitting of its theme of openness, Blue Weekend is also the band’s most sonically varied album yet. Oozing adventure in its variety, the record flits between atmosphere and grandeur (The Last Man on Earth), shimmering shoegaze (Lipstick on the Glass, Delicious Things), and, of course, the trademark dialling up of attitude with some face-slapping fuzz (Smile, Play the Greatest Hits). This record, like the band behind it, repeatedly and successfully refuses genrefication in its ambitiousness.
Listen to: Lipstick on the Glass, Play the Greatest Hits, How Can I Make It OK?