Wolf Alice Deliver Bold Simplicity on The Clearing
After years of anticipation, Wolf Alice’s fourth studio album has been wrapped up in sparkly paper, with a shiny blue bow, and gifted to us on a lovely August morning.
The Clearing arrives four years after their last album, Blue Weekend, released in 2021. The band are now signed with Colombia Records (as of 2024) and are ready to embark on the boldness of simplicity.
Since 2013, Wolf Alice have been producing ambience for introversion, love, and anger, building from folk roots to create mind-bending experiences for their listeners and exploring the complexity of music and genre. Made up of Ellie Rowsell (frontwoman), Joel Amey (drummer and vocalist), Joff Oddie (guitarist), and Theo Ellis (bassist), the band have never defined ‘their sound’ or aligned themselves with a genre because of their sonic fluidity, which has given them the freedom of ambiguity, whilst capturing the attention of listeners everywhere.
The Clearing perfectly encapsulates the hard work they have put into their craft since forming in 2010, as a beautiful addition to the Wolf Alice discography. Sonically different than previous works, The Clearing develops ideas established in the softer motifs found in the likes of Safe From Heartbreak (if you never fall in love) and Bros.
From the Passenger Seat to The Sofa, The Clearing takes listeners on a comfortable journey through friendship, self-exploration, and acceptance. It seems the band have taken on the advice of Blue Weekend producer, Markus Drabs, in the making of The Clearing, leaning into the idea that ‘less can be more’.
Transitioning from Blue Weekend, a distinctly heavier album, with songs such as Play The Greatest Hits and Smile, The Clearing takes a step back to focus on the simplicity of music composition.
Before beginning the writing for The Clearing, it seems as though the band cleaned out their studio and were left with a grand piano, too heavy to move, a guitar still hanging on the wall, and a dusty drum kit in the back. They were left with the bare bones and, somehow, curated a technically stunning album that unwraps the familiar sounds of Wolf Alice. Turning 15 in 2025, Wolf Alice uses The Clearing as a way of celebrating the band and how lucky they are to still be doing what they do.
May saw a first taste of The Clearing, with the release of Bloom Baby Bloom. This impeccable song demonstrates the impressive range of Rowsell’s vocal abilities, using her voice as an instrument to play with. “Watch me, yeah, you’ll see just what I’m worth / Yes, I’ll bloom, baby, bloom / Every flower needs to neighbour with the dirt”
The lyrics speak of being tired of hiding and a desire to flourish into one’s true self, a theme found throughout The Clearing’s track list. The frustrated words of someone ready to burst erupt out of Rowsell, as she experiments with her vocal capacity to metaphorically represent the version of herself that is blossoming into something new and authentic.
Bloom Baby Bloom is reminiscent of the frustration Rowsell experienced and presented with songs such as Smile, and Yuk Foo. In the same way, it is the song with the most forceful impact; a maximalist variation of the organic and simple pattern the other tracks follow.
The seventh track of The Clearing emulates the same excitement as Bloom Baby Bloom. Bread Butter Tea Sugar is an upbeat, layered song with an ambience that radiates joy. Sonically similar to iconic Wolf Alice songs, Rowsell’s voice is embedded within the array of instruments used to create the louder experience of Bread Butter Tea Sugar – even the name is fun! Her lyrics participate in the chaos of delightful sounds, with the fine addition of strings and bouncy keys.
The entire track list of The Clearing is beautiful to listen to but, some glow slightly brighter than the others. Perhaps this is because Rowsell’s voice and lyrics are on full display, something Wolf Alice listeners are not as familiar with. The complexity and depth of songs in their discography used to provide some shelter for Rowsell to hide amongst the noise, writing with ambiguity and cautiousness.
The Clearing disregards this careful sentiment, as Rowsell embraces the potential of embarrassment in the name of growth and developing into an ever-changing version of herself. This confidence radiates throughout the album and turns each track into something a little bit tastier and more delicious.
The tracks that capture this purposeful vulnerability are Safe in the World and Midnight Song.
Safe in the World is a warm embrace that sings of being unable to describe the feeling of love. The calming ambience the instruments create provides the perfect metaphor of the lyrics. It is a beautifully comfortable song, a kind of melt-in-your-mouth soothing experience.
Midnight Song is dreamy, gentle, and light. The soprano of Rowsell’s voice and the twinkly guitar emulate the experience of a peaceful starry night sky. The use of strings in this track is light and playful, with a call and response to enhance the dream-like experience of the song.
Rowsell’s confidence and willingness to be vulnerable come to fruition in The Clearing’s sixth track. Play It Out draws you into the intimate setting of a singular piano, with a woman perched on the stool, as she details her thoughts and fears of growing up. Rowsell, like the rest of her band, is learning what life looks like in your 30s. The barren piano, unambiguous lyrics, and exposed vocals reveal the daunting thought of the unknown. But, as Rowsell sings, there are too many possibilities to account for, so we must accept them and let them play out.
A majority of the track list seem to fall under this category, which rings true of what Wolf Alice set out to achieve: bold simplicity. If Bloom Baby Bloom and Bread Butter Tea Sugar were the shimmery blue eye shadow and red lipstick of the album, then these songs would be the soft leather jackets and worn blue jeans of it all; bringing Wolf Alice back to the basic stereotypes of what it is to be a band.
Following the overstimulating heaviness of Blue Weekend, Wolf Alice wanted this album to be more lighthearted and fun. Though there are harsher tracks, like Thorns, and self-reflective moments in Play It Out, the essence of soft summeriness is woven into the roots of The Clearing.
Track three, Just Two Girls, is a fun and heartwarming song about female friendship. The sweetness of Just Two Girls speaks of the mundanity of being friends, the perfection of simply understanding each other and enjoying their company. It is lighthearted and tender, encapsulating the sincerity of platonic love for your girlfriends.
The track that truly preaches of an organic nature is White Horses. As the third single released prior to The Clearing, White Horses picks up the pieces of Bloom Baby Bloom and The Sofa, depicting a desire to understand yourself. The lyrics talk of being in the band, like a Nomadic family, and finding themselves within the group. Excitingly and unexpectedly, Joel Amey opens the song with his soft vocals, something Wolf Alice listeners aren’t very familiar with. He continues to sing the verses of the songs, whilst Rowsell matches the twangy tone of Amey in the chorus. This builds into a euphoric final verse, which is maybe my favourite moment of the album. As the lyric video proposes, White Horses creates the feeling of being deep in a forest, the sun shining through the browning leaves, content with life and immersed in the beauty of English nature.
Track 11, the final song of the album, was released as the second single. The Sofa is about taking a moment to sit back and enjoy life, which Rowsell has suggested is a difficult thing for her to do. The track denotes the feeling of crashing out onto a plush couch after a long day, sinking deeper into the cushions as the weight of everything melts away. It is about taking a moment to be thankful and to be okay with how life has turned out, a strangely mature thing to write a song about. The Sofa seems to encapsulate the themes of The Clearing, which, I guess, is the perfect way to end an album. It fits thematically with Play It Out, an acceptance of change and possibility at the same time, as being content without the things you had once hoped for. Whilst also emulating the same desire for self-acceptance and becoming the true version of oneself: “Hope I can accept the wild thing in me / Hope nobody comes to tame her / And she can be free.”
The Clearing is unashamedly confident in its identity. It reaches back to the folk roots of Wolf Alice and plays with the lessons the band have learnt over the last 15 years. Wolf Alice have not let themselves be defined by genres, continuing to breach new territory and become a more confident, well-rounded group with each new release.
The listener is taken on a journey to experience the motions of growing up. There are so many routes to explore, and it may seem overwhelming. These routes, however, will let you explore and connect. You’ll find places to sit and relax along the way; you may even get lost. But then you will come to a clearing and wonder, ‘how on earth did I end up here?’.
The lighthearted, sunny, heartwarming, yet reflective and emotional sounds provide an intimate look into Wolf Alice’s journey as people and as a band. The Clearing may be stripped-back and organic in nature, but it is far from empty.
