Visions of a Life
WOLF ALICE
Recommended for:
Fans of Brit-pop
Pop music fans looking to expand their horizons
Pros:
Raw and personal songwriting
Huge range in sound
Rhythm section takes band to the next level
Cons:
A couple of filler tracks
Visions of a Life is the second full length studio album from London-based alternative rockers Wolf Alice. A competent followup to their impressive debut album, My Love is Cool, their sophomore effort proves this band is here to stay. The album was released September 29, through Dirty Hit Records.
Expectations have been met and surpassed on Visions of a Life. Wolf Alice is proving to be a band that will continue to keep rock influence relevant in pop music. This band has been able to find a sweet spot between their original style of folk-pop, created by Ellie Rowsell and Joff Oddie, and the grungy hard rock rhythm section that joined in 2012 in the form of Theo Ellis, and Joel Amey.
These pieces of the band don’t obviously make sense on paper, but the results are dynamic songs with a huge range in terms of sound possibilities. Oddie consistently uses irregular chords and unusually catchy hooks to accent Roswell’s ethereal and haunting vocals. She holds nothing back on this album. Roswell’s attempts to turn up the intensity with screams and heavy grit are competent on songs like “Yuk Foo.” She almost sounds like a completely different, but equally competent, person on songs like the glistening pop track “Don’t Delete the Kisses”. Her lyrical abilities shine as well, the album spans themes of personal discovery and relationship insecurities.
Ellis’ bass playing is the true secret weapon of this band, The grooves are slick and edgy while adding an extra boost to these songs, keeping them very danceable. Tracks like “Formidable Cool” and “Beautifully Unconventional” easily get listeners moving around.
Wolf Alice’s greatest strength is in creating an atmosphere within their songs. Whether that means a reverb drenched and electronic influenced pop song or a gritty and raw punk song, the band knows how to flip the switch and doesn't make the mistake of muddling too many things together. The production on this album is as good as any. I look forward to seeing this band continue to rise in popularity and recognition.
Favorite Songs: “Don’t Delete the Kisses”, “Beautifully Unconventional”, “Space & Time”
7.7/10
