Wolf Alice have reached the end of one chapter, and are ready to write the next. Their long-time deal with Dirty Hit now at a finish, the band have signed to major label RCA. Going bigger, bolder than ever before, the Greg Kurstin-produced new album ‘The Clearing’ finds a band reaching outwards, only to touch their roots; it’s a band who can travel the world, only to find solace in their native Seven Sisters. A crisp, often emotional, pop experience, it’s a break with the past while remaining utterly true to the precepts that Wolf Alice forged their success by.
Subtle introductory track ‘Thorns’ is perhaps misleading – it’s a way to ease you into this brave new world, but soon gives way to something bigger, more defined. Lead single ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’ is titanic – Wolf Alice are unpacking skills they never knew they had, a kind of epic arena-level Fleetwood Mac banger for 2025.
‘Leaning Against The Wall’ has plenty of bite, while succinct mid-record treat ‘Passenger Seat’ is a succinct – sub two minute – dose of vintage pop songcraft.
Indeed, for all their indie rock framing, much of ‘The Clearing’ has Wolf Alice picking apart the late 70s playbook. The glamorous visuals help, but across the record you can hear everyone from The Cars to ABBA, Blondie to Stevie Nicks – it’s a statement of intent, a sign of ambition, a signal that Wolf Alice are ready to take that next step.
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Very much structured in that classic album format – two sides of vinyl here, 11 songs in total – the second half continues to rise. A mini song cycle of its own, ‘Bread Butter Tea Sugar’, ‘Safe In The World’ and ‘Midnight Song’ are laden with refulgent studio elegance, with Greg Kurstin teasing out new aspects from this band.
There’s a sense throughout of a band truly dialling upwards – reference points like Guns N’ Roses feel apt, as they’re legitimately the level this group are aiming for. Closing with ‘The Sofa’ however is a dose of realism – Seven Sisters remains home, and for all the glitz of the road Wolf Alice remain the same four kids who used to host a residency at Shoreditch sweat-pit the Old Blue Last.
It’s a testimony to Wolf Alice, then, that such broad, ambitious, and overtly pop material as ‘The Clearing’ can remain tethered to their roots. The landscapes may differ, but the personalities remain – they’re building upwards, and they want to take you with them.
8/10
Words: Robin Murray
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