The British band reveals the backstage of their new album, the artistic maturity and the plans to finally play in Brazil
There is something liberator in the conversation with Theo and Joelfrom Wolf Aliceeven if it is through a screen. The English band, formed in 2010, won a unique position in the British music scene: they are the same ones that started with soft folk and evolved to a powerful rock that earned them a Mercury Prize in 2018 with Visions of a lifand and one Brit award in 2022 by Blue Weekend.
Now, with The clearing (your fourth studio album) Ellie Rowsell (vocal), Theo Ellis (low), Joel amey (battery) and JOFF ODDIE (guitar) have another sound reinvention. Between comments on the album, jokes about electric cars and the promise of finally playing in Brazil, the musicians reveal the essence behind this new work, an album that marks not only a sound evolution, but an acceptance of maturity that the last ten years of road brought.
“It is a strange feeling to be launching something new after all we have been,” confesses Theoreferring to an intense ten-year journey that shaped reflections of the album. From the studio of GREG KURSTIN in Los Angeles to the memories of the cliffs of Seven Sisterswhere they met, the conversation reveals a band in the process of self -discovery.
Time as a protagonist
“It’s more about our personal development,” explains Theo when asked about the three -year period between Blue Weekend and the new work. But this reflection goes beyond the pandemic break. “It is not necessarily a reflection on this time among albums, but about how our lives have changed in the last ten years,” he points out.
What emerges from this conversation is a band that has learned to embrace the duality of its existence: home and personal life versus the performic version they present to the world. “Performance is a big theme of this album”, reveals Theo“And how to grow as a performer, be braver for doing things, feeling comfortable to try.”
Los Angeles, The City of Dreams
Work with GREG KURSTIN – The producer behind successes of Adele, Beck, Paul McCartney and Foo Fighters – In Los Angeles represented more than a geographical change, it was a transformation in the way of creating.
“He made us feel so comfortable to do our best, and this is the sign of a great producer. If you want, Greg You can write your songs for you, and they will be very good, but that’s not our way. He was there to get the best of us, “he said Joel on the influence of GREG KURSTIN to shape the sound of The clearing.
The result is an album that maintains the essence of Wolf Alice while exploiting more serene territories. “I still feel like Wolf Alice“, emphasizes Theo. “There are times when I hear the Wolf Alice In this album. It’s different, maybe not so rock, but I feel purely as Wolf Alice“.
Joel finds his voice
“White Horses” marks Joel’s first moment as the main vocalist on the album. However, this did not change the band’s creative dynamics.
“I’m in a band with someone who is not just my friend, but someone I personally see as one of the greatest vocalists of our time. Ellie He is the most generous person you will find when it comes to creativity. It’s all about collaboration, about getting involved, “he explained.
Between Seven Sisters and California
The Seven Sisters – Chalk cliffs on the coast of the Channel of the Mancha, in East Sussex – were where the band met in the past. Today, in the present, they live in northern London. Theo It explains that California acts as a “euphemism for goals” in musical culture, especially for the history of recording studios. “Sometimes it’s good to reflect, be happy and sit on your couch while still wanting to conquer the world,” summarizes the philosophy of the track.
The transformed energy
If Blue Weekend It was more raw and rock’n’roll, The clearing Bet on a different, more melodic energy, and sometimes remembers even an American country-music.
RS: Does this change reflect personal maturity of the four members or was it a purely aesthetic choice?
Theo: The energy we pursued was a reaction to songs like ‘Delicious Things’ and ‘The Last Man On Earth’. Their energy in a live environment was people singing the words back, this communal exchange between public and stage. “
It is an evolution that can initially share old fans, as the bassist himself recognizes: “If you are a fan of Wolf Alice So far, many people may not like this album initially. There is always a period of adaptation when people get used to something new. “
During the interview, Joel NOTE MY T -shirt Bad Seeds and uses the reference to better explain this transformation: “Nick Cave It is a good example. I adore The Birthday Party and I love it Bad Seedsbut he turned into something totally different. More in poetry, in a different way, but the feeling is the same. It is like an evolution. “
Brazil on the horizon
Among all the revelations, perhaps the most awaited by Brazilian fans is the confirmation that the band finally has plans to play in the country. “It’s really weird that we haven’t been there yet,” he admits Joel. “Let’s play some shows there at some point, we just don’t know when.”
A deep breath
RS: If you could define The clearing With a single image or feeling to someone who has never heard Wolf Alice before, what would it be? And what else do you want fans to feel when listening to this album?
Theo: “A deep breath or that moment when you realize you’re a little manic and take a while for you.”
Joel: “It’s a travel album, something to be heard from start to finish. I don’t drive right, but I keep saying this is a ‘driving album’,
Theo: “Terrible for the environment, but I think everyone should hear this in a car. Don’t buy a car or buy an electric car. And if any brand wants to hire me to promote your electric vehicles, let me know,” he jokes.
Joel: “If people can find time on their day to do something not only for them, but to connect with art, if they can do it instead of hearing a podcast for an hour, that would be amazing for me.”
Maturity without haste
The clearing It is not just a new chapter in the discography of the Wolf AliceIt is the sound of a band that learned to accept their own evolution. As in the analogy that Joel made about Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds During our conversation, they maintain the intensity while exploiting new sound territories.
It is this balance between familiarity and discovery that makes the new album not only a natural progression, but a statement that some of the best transformations happen when we stop forcing and simply let it flow. As in life, as in music, as in a good conversation on any afternoon.
The clearing It is a release of Sony music And it is now available on all streaming platforms.
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Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
