IN REVIEW: Wolf Alice - "My Love Is Cool"

If the debut album by Londoners Wolf Alice feels impressively accomplished for a first record, it's likely because My Love Is Cool follows a pair of EPs and comes five years after the group's formation. Moaning Lisa Smile, the current single doing damage on North American radio, was actually from the second of those EPs, released over a year ago; in fact, unless you're in North America, it's not even on the album.

Tellingly, My Love Is Cool remains a thrilling, intense and diverse record even without Moaning Lisa Smile on the tracklist; it certainly doesn't lack in ideas or commanding performances. That said, it's not like leaving out Moaning Lisa Smile overseas was an act of distancing themselves from the past; after all, their first ever singles (the noisy, sultry Fluffy and the cool, Cranberries-esque Bros) are both included.

The new material ranges wildly; there's the slash-n-burn fury of current UK single You're a Germ, the volcanic majesty of Your Loves Whore and Lisbon, the stormy strut of Freazy and Giant Peach, and the goth-pop experiments of Silk and Soapy Water.

All of these twists in mood and style don't make for the most consistent album, and I'd like to see them go a bit more assertive and focused next time out, but Wolf Alice gets full marks for creativity. My Love Is Cool is an album that affords the band near limitless possibilities, and it's hard to pinpoint just where their exploration will take them, but it's bound to be a fun ride.

June 23, 2015 • Dirty Hit/Universal

Highlights Moaning Lisa Smile • Bros • You're a Germ

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