IN REVIEW: Wolf Alice - "Visions of a Life"

On their second full-length album, UK buzz band Wolf Alice remains resistant to idling in one place; as such, the record finds bandleader Ellie Rowsell guiding the group through a wide variety of sonic terrain. Among moments of blissful new wave-inspired indie (Heavenward, Don't Delete the Kisses, Sadboy) and radio-ready stadium rock fare (Beautifully Unconventional, Planet Hunter, Space & Time) are moments of bloody seething rage (Yuk Foo, Formidable Cool). The absolutely crushing eight minute title track closer, meanwhile, throws in all of the above while adding a little psychedelia into the mix, which assures us that there are still more tricks up their sleeves.

The testament to Wolf Alice's prowess is how easily these many faces are worn, and there doesn't seem to be a single moment where the listener is convinced the band has bitten off more than it can chew or made the wrong decision for the song. Rowsell emerges as a true tour de force here, as effective in her performance when she's screaming and spitting as she is when wringing out an emotional catharsis; her already impressive range has expanded considerably in a short time.

Visions of a Life doesn't really play into a particular mood or theme and, like after listening to their last album, I have to wonder if there's a staggering classic in this band if they focus their efforts into a more narrow spectrum; however, when they are this intriguing across so many styles, I can't really fault them for continuing to explore and conquer. Consistency, as it turns out, isn't much of an issue; drawing from a wide variety of influences and drawing them into the band's orbit, Wolf Alice has created an album as consistently thrilling as it is diverse.

September 29, 2017 • Dirty Hit/RCA
Highlights Beautifully Unconventional • Formidable Cool • Visions of a Life

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