With The Big Roar, a debut album that rocked with the sonic bombast of a veteran group and propelled them into the global mindspace, it was understood that The Joy Formidable would have a hell of a time avoiding the dreaded sophomore slump with Wolf's Law.
One thing you'll notice about Wolf's Law is that there's a lot more groove to get lost in. Cholla and Little Blimp are fuzzed out, fully fleshed dance rockers that wouldn't sound out of place remixed by, say, Thom Yorke and played in clubs.
There's also a fair share of aggression, particularly on Bats. In fact, Bats is downright evil, with at least a couple of moments that put this listener in mind of Nine Inch Nails' violent, nihilistic soundtrack cut Burn (and some double kicks for good measure). Then, there's Maw Maw Song, which sounds like Black Sabbath being forced at gunpoint to play a-Ha songs. It also features a near two-minute guitar freakout that nearly matches the intensity of breakout hit Whirring's unedited album version.
Wolf's Law may, however, be most notable for its sense of melody. More often than not, The Joy Formidable attempt to balance all the noise and energy of The Big Roar with hooks and tenderness. Silent Treatment is a stripped down treat, rarely employing sounds other than voice and guitar and making for a stark mid-album statement. Those who saw its video and were disappointed that the title track wasn't listed will be pleased to know that it is included (albeit, inexplicably, as a hidden track), while Tendons and Forest Serenade achieve a similar balance of noise and beauty; both sound like potential hits.
Which brings us back to Whirring. The cathartic, unrelenting rocker that label hoped they could replicate with lead single This Ladder Is Ours, there's really nothing on Wolf's Law that comes close to Whirring levels of otherworldly sonic payoff. Truth be told, I like the song most blatantly an attempt to capture that lightning in a bottle a second time as lead track on Wolf's Law, because it doesn't and it gets that out of the way before moving on with the rest of the album's more interesting ideas.
All told, Wolf's Law is much less guitar-centric than The Big Roar, but it's much more varied in its sounds. And, perhaps that's the biggest problem I have with it; too many shifts in style and tempo hurt the album's consistency, giving it more of a compilation feel than a singular album experience. Still, there are some fine moments to be had and, even if they ratchet down the noise and miss the mark occasionally, Wolf's Law is ultimately a more interesting and engaging album.
Wolf's Law is released January 22 on Atlantic.
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