Building up the anticipation for their new album entitled ‘Blue Weekend’, scheduled for release on 11 June via Liberator Music / Dirty Hit, the terrific Wolf Alice have released a second single ‘Smile’, following the release of ‘The Last Man On Earth’ earlier this year (see our review here).
‘Smile’ is inspired by singer Ellie Rowsell’s refusal to be defined by others and is an excoriating attack on the unreasonable expectations of others while being strong and true to yourself – I ain’t ashamed to be sensitive – over a driving heavy thunder of guitars. Rowsell says:
…this is one of the songs we wrote thinking that we would play it live. I miss that feeling of singing on stage. It’s like screaming into a pillow or something — you can get away with being more nasty. There’s a whole other part of me missing.
There is a detectable level of anger, power and cynicism both in the lyrics and the driving rhythm: infused with a sense of defiance and empowerment. The video is frenetic and charged with elements of hedonism, anxiety and strength:
This is Wolf Alice at their most snarling and aggressive: utterly satisfying fare.
‘Blue Weekend’ will be released on 11 June 2021 and will be available on limited edition red transparent vinyl, yellow transparent vinyl and green vinyl, as well as black vinyl, CD & all DSPs. You can preorder here.
Wolf Alice are Ellie Rowsell (vocals, guitar), Joff Oddie (guitar, vocals), Theo Ellis (bass) and Joel Amey (drums, vocals).
Blue Weekend tracklisting:
1. The Beach
2. Delicious Things
3. Lipstick On The Glass
4. Smile
5. Safe From Heartbreak (if you never fall in love)
6. How Can I Make It OK?
7. Play The Greatest Hits
8. Feeling Myself
9. The Last Man On Earth
10. No Hard Feelings
11. The Beach II
Feature Photograph: Jordan Hemingway
