Album Review: Wolf Alice – Visions of a Life
2 min read
Visions of a Life is the second studio album by the English band Wolf Alice. Formed in 2010 in North London, the alternative rock band released its debut album My Love Is Cool in 2015. Given the positive critical response received for the first album, there were high expectations on the second one, which Wolf Alice didn’t fall short to match. Visions of a Life, based on themes such as anxiety and death, doesn’t suffer from the second album syndrome at all.
Visions of a Life starts with a 1 minute 30 seconds long instrumental intro, broken by Ellie Rowsell’s soft, nearly whispered, vocals. Heavenward is a sentimental and nostalgic song about the death of a friend. The theme and sound completely change with the second song. Yuk Foo is an angry, punk, short piece which transmits adrenaline and energy, representing an anthem against others’ expectations.
Beautifully Unconventional, the third track, changes the tone again, and it may be considered as a song in-between the first two. It is based on the movie Heathers (1988) and with its upbeat sound and catchy chorus, it will stick in your mind for a while.
The album excellently closes with Visions of a Life. The eight minutes track includes everything, from slow and soft to more aggressive and fast sounds. As the record started with a song about someone’s death, it concludes with a reflection about the fear of dying and uncertainty of the future.
This album is certainly proof of Wolf Alice’s talent, creativity, and potential. The band is able to space among different styles, sounds, and themes. If either you are a fan or someone who is listening to Wolf Alice for the first time, I am sure you will appreciate this album.
