{"id":120165,"date":"2025-09-05T06:34:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T06:34:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/120165\/"},"modified":"2025-09-05T06:34:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T06:34:16","slug":"flood-wolf-alice-new-beginnings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/120165\/","title":{"rendered":"FLOOD – Wolf Alice: New Beginnings"},"content":{"rendered":"

FLOOD is thrilled to announce we are presenting Wolf Alice’s return to Southern California at the Fox Theater in Pomona on October 11. Tickets are on sale now here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Attending a show solo allows one to wander freely sans small talk\u2014truly an underappreciated luxury in contemporary culture. In doing so, the spectator can glean a great deal about the headlining act via the various fandoms and subcultures present. Recently, I perused a growing crowd in Los Angeles\u2019s legendary rock venue the Troubadour, curious to see how a band\u2019s polystylistic sound was reflected in its live audience. The group in question was Wolf Alice<\/a>, who were on the verge of landing their second consecutive #1 album in the UK with The Clearing<\/a>, released at the end of August.<\/p>\n

Despite the band\u2019s considerable fanbase, notable silver-screen appearance<\/a>, and substantial hits (the cinematic, synth-heavy \u201cDelete the Kisses\u201d; the raucous, GRAMMY-nominated \u201cMoaning Lisa Smile\u201d), the group\u2019s UK success hasn\u2019t always translated to American notoriety. Yet in the UK and Ireland, Wolf Alice have proven worthy of the prestigious Mercury Prize (which they picked up in 2018 for their sophomore album Visions of a Life) following in the footsteps of artists such as Portishead, Arctic Monkeys, and PJ Harvey. The win cemented their status as critical darlings and was a sign that, in an era of musical homogenization, true artistic daring was still being lauded.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\" Photography:\u00a0Shervin Lainez<\/a>\u00a0Cover Design:\u00a0Jerome Curchod<\/a> Makeup: Shain Kish<\/a>\u00a0Hair: Cherry Le<\/a><\/p>\n

Aggressive, raw, distorted sound with furious vocals\u2014these are a few of my favorite things, and these aural attributes also happened to be woven throughout Wolf Alice\u2019s early work. While I quickly took to their first few records\u2014the \u201cmessy, harder stuff\u201d like \u201cYou\u2019re a Germ\u201d off their 2015 debut My Love Is Cool<\/a>, and \u201cYuk Foo\u201d from 2017\u2019s Vision of a Life\u2014I was surprised and completely captivated by the beauty of their varied, swelling tracks, too. I found myself utterly lost in songs like \u201cBros,\u201d \u201cLipstick on the Glass,\u201d \u201cFeeling Myself,\u201d and the blues-rock-driven, hypnotic, harder rock tune \u201cFormidable Cool.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Returning to my reconnaissance mission for a moment, the wildly varied age demographic at Wolf Alice\u2019s recent Troubadour gig seemed to reflect the variety of sounds heard across the band\u2019s discography. Huddled by the stage was a young person in a HAIM shirt. When Lana Del Rey\u2019s \u201cSay Yes to Heaven\u201d inevitably came on, someone eagerly yelled, \u201cI love this song!\u201d We all do, of course. Then, as the Buzzcocks pumped through the speakers, the Gen-Xers sitting by the bar or lined up on the wall bobbed their heads in agreement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t just age, though. Some people were dressed as if filming the opening club scene in 1998\u2019s Blade, while others looked like they were here to see Joni Mitchell. It\u2019s difficult to put a finger on exactly what sort of music, energy, or performance you\u2019ll walk into when you\u2019re going to see Wolf Alice. You can\u2019t pin this band down, and that mystery only makes them all the more intriguing. It seems as though that\u2019s precisely what vocalist\/guitarist Ellie Rowsell, guitarist Joff Oddie, bassist Theo Ellis, and drummer Joel Amey were proud to have crafted up until this point.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

But on The Clearing, Wolf Alice\u2019s intention shifted toward creating a more cohesive work, which they\u2019ve accomplished with great success. When I sit down with the London-based band to talk about their first album with Columbia Music, they\u2019ve already performed spectacular sets at this year\u2019s Primavera Sound and Glastonbury. It\u2019s a significant moment for the quartet, who\u2019ve spent over a decade building a sonic universe together that feels at home in intimate venues and massive festivals alike. Following their phenomenal UK success, they\u2019re on the precipice of grasping that elusive concept of American stardom\u2014and it feels possible.<\/p>\n

Rowsell elaborates on the process of crafting the new album in a conference suite at a West Hollywood hotel: \u201cEventually, you make enough stuff to start sharing it amongst each other, but this time around we shared a couple of things and then were like, \u2018Maybe we should talk about what kind of direction we want to go in,\u2019 rather than just thinking, \u2018Oh, we\u2019ve got this collection of songs now,\u2019 so that people have more focus. I think a coherent sound was important to us for this record. It\u2019s not something we\u2019ve spoken about or ever really done, to be honest, but it just felt like a new challenge.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

photo by Tanner Deutsch<\/p>\n

photo by Tanner Deutsch\u201cI think a coherent sound was important to us for this record. It\u2019s not something we\u2019ve spoken about or ever really done, to be honest, but it just felt like a new challenge.\u201d \u2014 Ellie Rowsell\"\" <\/p>\n

photo by Harriet Bols<\/p>\n

photo by Harriet Bols<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people get confused by us, to be honest,\u201d chuckles Ellis, echoing Rowsell\u2019s sentiments. \u201cPlenty of people maybe don\u2019t like it because they don\u2019t understand what it is overall, which is completely fair enough. Ultimately, there\u2019s an innate [knowing between us]. We have a nice alchemy thing where we can tell it\u2019s a Wolf Alice song. How we then dress that song in terms of production has been enjoyment-led\u2014what we\u2019re curious about, what\u2019s satisfying\u2014and I think that we were trying to be more cohesive this time.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The conversations surrounding genre distinctions are tiresome, but for the sake of categorization, Wolf Alice\u2019s sound has historically flowed freely between alt-rock, dream-pop, and indie-folk, with some forays into electronic sounds and palpable grunge and punk influences frequently discernible. They are, at their core, a glorious paradox: shapeshifters who have somehow carved out a sound that\u2019s unassailably their own in an oversaturated, often sterile and predictable mainstream music landscape. In the sprawling, often chaotic tapestry of modern rock and roll, few bands have managed to stitch together a career as consistently thrilling.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cUltimately, there\u2019s an innate knowing between us. We have a nice alchemy thing where we can tell it\u2019s a Wolf Alice song.\u201d \u2014 Theo Ellis\"\" <\/p>\n

photo by Harriet Bols<\/p>\n

photo by Harriet Bols<\/p>\n

Their last album, 2021\u2019s Blue Weekend<\/a>, showcased lush epics that felt deeply vulnerable, devastatingly beautiful, and joyfully hopeful. It was a record that earned them a Brit Award for Best Group and their first UK #1 album. It also marked their foray into a more refined, deliberate sound. Forming an identity is a never-ending project, but The Clearing further refines the aesthetic of Blue Weekend, while delving into a direction more defined by classic rock that\u2019s further shaped by pop sensibilities and some jazz influence\u2014think Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, or Carole King. They did so with the help of mega-producer Greg Kurstin, who has a remarkable track record, having helped craft hits for an eclectic roster of icons including Kendrick Lamar, Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, and Stevie Nicks.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe clearing\u201d is a phrase mentioned in the final verse of the jaunty \u201cBread Butter Tea Sugar.\u201d It suggests a new beginning, a moment of hope amid a toxic (albeit thrilling) relationship dynamic. When asked if this album was a needed expression of clarity in some way, Rowsell admits, \u201cI think for a long time we\u2019ve been kind of doing this nonstop, going from record to record, tour to writing to studio.\u201d Whether prompted by the stillness of the COVID-19 pandemic or simply the passage of time, Rowsell says she was no longer waiting for the epiphany of becoming a \u201cproper adult\u201d or a \u201cproper musician\u201d to dawn (\u201cI also felt quite young doing it\u2014maybe mentally I was younger than I literally was,\u201d she adds with a laugh). The time to claim ownership and agency was now, and she had been all of those things all along. \u201cI took stock of what it is that we\u2019re doing. I realized how great it is that I get to do this and how important I wanted it to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

photo by Tanner Deutsch<\/p>\n

photo by Tanner Deutsch<\/p>\n

Cohesion aside, when Wolf Alice steps on stage, it quickly becomes apparent that these are poised, seasoned veterans at the top of their game who\u2019ve got skill and confidence as well as a catalog of catchy hits as varied as the audience they\u2019ve developed. During their Troubadour run, Rowsell broke out a megaphone and jumped into the audience at some point, and by god was it effective. Some other noteworthy observations from a live-performance perspective include Amey\u2019s set of pipes (singing while drumming will always impress me), flawless harmonies across the board, and the plaguing thought that there must be a mysterious, mystical energy radiating from the eyeshadow worn by Rowsell. It doesn\u2019t hurt that Ellis, the lively bassist, is also giving Spike from Buffy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rowsell\u2019s a force of nature on stage, to be sure, and has been compared to other vocalists and performers like Karen O, Kurt Cobain, Kate Bush, and Siouxsie Sioux. \u201cThis album is interested in the performances of crooners and show tunes like Liza Minnelli and Frank Sinatra, and people who sing very energetically and very performatively\u2014not in a classic \u2018rock\u2019 or \u2018indie band\u2019 way,\u201d Rowsell clarifies when discussing the maturation of her on-stage persona\u2014and cultivating a powerful presence more generally on The Clearing. The idea is illustrated clearly in the new album\u2019s cover, featuring Rowsell in an iridescent green leotard on stage, mid-expressive performance, the only individual visible in a spotlight.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

Additionally, the music video for \u201cBloom Baby Bloom\u201d features a deconstructed classic rock performance complete with Bob Fosse\u2013inspired choreography. It\u2019s a song about growth and the power of reclaiming one\u2019s potential amid the muck and turmoil of a taxing relationship. \u201cBloom\u201d is a delightfully bonkers, avant-garde pop triumph of a track that proves Wolf Alice is allergic to stasis. It\u2019s also what I would consider the \u201chardest\u201d song on the new album. It opens with a repetitive piano motif that could\u2019ve been lifted from a minimalist composition before crashing into a maelstrom of tight percussion, grooving bass, and an anthemic chorus. It\u2019s a track that suggests that it was made by a band that\u2019s willing to continually boldly stretch their sound, who isn\u2019t content to simply rest on its laurels.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been interested in how to get energy in a live performance that doesn\u2019t rely on shouting or running around or distortion pedals or cymbals,\u201d Rowsell tells me when asked about where she\u2019s finding performance inspiration lately. \u201cSomeone like Kate Bush, or a lot of country music like Dolly Parton. Performance levels are so high, but sometimes it\u2019s just on an acoustic guitar or a piano. Adele, too. I like hearing people not use their voice always in the same way, especially with rock music. I think sometimes there\u2019s a kind of machoism in rock music where they\u2019re scared to use their voice in any way that isn\u2019t \u2018cool.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\" photo by Harriet Bols\u201cI think sometimes there\u2019s a kind of machoism in rock music where they\u2019re scared to use their voice in any way that isn\u2019t \u2018cool.\u2019\u201d \u2014 Ellie Rowsell\"\" <\/p>\n

photo by Harriet Bols<\/p>\n

photo by Harriet Bols<\/p>\n

Rowsell\u2019s vocals are a masterclass in this versatility, effortlessly shifting from a delicate whisper to haunting talk-singing and then to a soaring powerhouse roar. To contrast with the powerful vocals on \u201cBloom,\u201d take another single from The Clearing: \u201cThe Sofa\u201d is a serene, dreamy, and warm ballad that I\u2019ve enjoyed having stuck in my head for the past three weeks. Interestingly, it seems to occupy a parallel sonic space to Chappell Roan\u2019s hotly debated new release \u201cThe Subway.\u201d It\u2019s a trajectory that\u2019s cleaner, more melodic, and more accessible, moving Wolf Alice toward a pop-heavy sensibility and away from the lo-fi, raw grit of their early work. \u201cThe Sofa\u201d is also noteworthy for its more mature subject matter of finding peace and comfort in one\u2019s life. The lyrics begin vulnerably\u2014\u201cHope I can accept the wild thing in me \/ Hope nobody comes to tame her\u201d\u2014before moving to the line, \u201cI can be happy, I can be sad \/ I can be a bitch when I get mad \/ I wanna settle down, oh, to fall in love \/ But, sometimes, I just want to fuck \/ I love my life, I love my life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The pensive and vulnerable \u201cPlay It Out\u201d deals with similar themes. On this track, the piano again serves as the primary melodic force, its subtle instrumentation making way for Rowsell\u2019s voice to soar. In the opening seconds, she delivers the astounding question: \u201cWhen my body can no longer make a mother of me \/ Will I change my notion of time?\u201d The song goes on to wrestle with the anxieties and hopes of aging, as well as addressing the reclamation of time and self-worth.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust Two Girls\u201d is another introspective bright spot on the album. Like the much earlier \u201cBros,\u201d it celebrates friendship with an elegant, \u201970s-influenced instrumental that\u2019s bouncy and jazzy with a sweet bass line. \u201cI had a couple of really healing conversations with my girlfriends, and they often take place at a bar, just sitting very casually,\u201d says Rowsell. \u201cYou realize how validating or important those chats are with your girlfriends, you know, if you\u2019re thinking a lot about body image or motherhood or these things that are taxing on your emotions. [Those conversations] held huge gravitas to me, and so it was kind of like putting it into song to appreciate the importance of a good chat.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the most delightful surprises on the album is \u201cWhite Horses,\u201d<\/a> wherein drummer Amey is at the helm, interrogating family, identity, and heritage against a gentle psychedelic soundscape. \u201cI personally had quite a bit of fun on \u2018White Horses\u2019 doing the ambient stuff and some of the soundscape-y stuff underneath,\u201d notes Ellis. \u201cGreg [Kurstin] and I were playing with guitar pedals and fiddling around for a bunch of takes, and that\u2019s what a lot of those splashy, odd noises are. That was really good fun. It was also very much trying to focus on the fundamentals more than being really, really wiggy, I guess. The experiment for me in [The Clearing] was to almost stop being so experimental. This album was hyper-focused and very considered.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\" photo by Alice Beckham\u201cThe experiment for me in The Clearing was to almost stop being so experimental. This album was hyper-focused and very considered.\u201d \u2014 Joel Amey\"\" <\/p>\n

photo by Alice Beckham<\/p>\n

photo by Alice Beckham\"\" <\/p>\n

photo by Alice Beckham <\/p>\n

photo by Alice Beckham<\/p>\n

In a discussion about the album\u2019s composition more broadly, Amey went on to highlight \u201cSafe in the World\u201d as another moment he was particularly proud of. The track has a distinct blues-country feel, with a profound emotional resonance despite its elusive subject matter. The band also made deliberate use of strings across the album, as showcased brilliantly on the opening track, the balladic \u201cThorns,\u201d with its funky breakdown and gut-punch lyrics (\u201cI must be a narcissist \/ God knows that I can\u2019t resist \/ To make a song\u201d). \u00a0<\/p>\n

As a band hellbent on perfecting their craft and creating engaging new sounds, Wolf Alice also remain grounded in the taxing realities of the modern music industry. Recent, widely publicized comments from artists like Chappell Roan<\/a> and Lily Allen<\/a> have shed light on the continued financial struggles of musicians in the streaming era. In that vein, Wolf Alice guitarist Joff Oddie recently spoke to Members of Parliament<\/a> about the financial sustainability of emerging artists. He argued that broader industry shifts, such as the low value of streaming and rising operational costs, threaten to make music an upper-class sport, robbing talented individuals of opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we want great art in the future, we need to support the emerging stuff, which goes all the way down to schools and all the way up to record labels,\u201d he argues. \u201c[If not,] you\u2019ll lose good shit\u2014probably the best stuff\u2014and then you\u2019ll just have privileged people making it, which is kind of sucky, right?\u201d Oddie\u2019s advocacy illustrates a commitment to the entire musical ecosystem that extends far beyond Wolf Alice\u2019s own success. The group\u2019s combination of artistic innovation and a sense of responsibility to the broader music community is what makes them great.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we want great art in the future, we need to support the emerging stuff, which goes all the way down to schools and all the way up to record labels. If not, you\u2019ll lose good shit\u2014probably the best stuff.\u201d \u2014 Joff Oddie<\/p>\n

Wolf Alice\u2019s journey is a testament to the power of a band operating as a true unit. While Rowsell\u2019s chameleonic vocals and incisive lyrics often take the spotlight, the musical foundation built by Oddie\u2019s shimmering, often brutal guitar work, Ellis\u2019s thunderous bass lines, and Amey\u2019s dynamic, shapeshifting drumming is what gives Wolf Alice their unique power. They\u2019re a collaborative force, an organism that breathes and moves as one, capable of pivoting from a tender lullaby to a full-throttle sonic assault within the same breath. Wolf Alice has reached their clearing not by abandoning their sound, but by refining it into something timeless and assured. FL<\/p>\n

\"\"