NEW ALBUMS
WOLF ALICE
Quartet’s prowess is proved on storming third album
Blue Weekend RCA
8/10
Relentless hooks:
Wolf Alice
“I am what I am, and I’m good at it”, Ellie Rowsell declares on “Smile”, the lead single and pivotal track on Wolf Alice’s new record. It’s a self-assured declaration that is manifest across the run time, with Rowsell and co continuing to expand on the wide sonic remit established in 2017’s Visions Of A Life. Blue Weekend is a collection of songs that immediately dazzle, with a relentless array of strong hooks, nestled within a sea of diverse sonic colours. Opener “Beach”’s tender lo-fi beginnings evolve into a hymn-like overture, and while “Delicious Things” and the robust riffage of “Smile” remind us of the band’s formidable teeth, further arrangements demonstrate similar aptitude in more vivid and tranquil realms.