Wolf Alice Releases Three New Songs In The Clearing (B Sides)
One year ago, Wolf Alice released The Clearing, a 70s-inspired indie-pop album that was a significant style change for them. It seemed like a whole new band, but it's an album where Ellie Rowsell shows some of the most impressive vocals to date. For the one-year anniversary, Wolf Alice has released The Clearing (B Sides), which features three additional songs that did not make the original cut, including “Gospel Oak”, “Hammond Song,” and “Hit The Sky.”
“Gospel Oak” is a soft piano-led song. Rowsell’s vocals are soft as she sings about unrequited love and yearning. It’s a fairly simple, short, and repetitive song. “On the platform, I wait for your train / Can you hear me? I’m calling your name / But the wheels keep on turning, you don’t see me waving.” It offers many moments of longing for someone who does not long for you back. Wolf Alice covered The Roches’ “Hammond Song”, featuring Sunflower Bean’s Julia Cumming and Canadian musician Bria Salmena. The song starts with a light acoustic guitar as the lyrics come in with all three vocals. The song continuously switches between all three of them. The vocals are very soft and airy throughout the song. Towards the end of the song, along with a soft yet strong note by Rowsell, is an electric guitar riff that blends with her voice so well.
“Hit the sky” is a folk jam of encouragement. “Let them get to know you / How they’ll love you / Wild horses run, but I see you fly.” Lyrically, it humanizes anyone and everyone, even mentioning icons like Elvis and Madonna and how they probably got nervous too. The song is straightforward in its uplifting nature and tells the listener to use their hardships as a way of inspiration.
Wolf Alice is opening for the first leg of Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘The Unraveled Tour’ and will be playing a couple of headlining shows at the end of the year. Listen to The Clearing (B Sides), out now.