Visions of a Life [LP]

by Wolf Alice

Overview

Wolf Alice mastered the glossy and grungy sides of alt-rock on My Love Is Cool, with songs like "Bros" and "Moaning Lisa Smile" earning them accolades that included a Grammy nomination. On Visions of a Life, they explore the wider -- and sometimes wilder -- facets of their music. To that end, they recruited producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen, who toured with the famously chameleonic Beck as his musical director and bassist, and also produced albums for acts as disparate as M83, Paramore, and the Raveonettes. With his help, Wolf Alice both narrow and widen their focus, isolating their bratty, fizzy guitar-pop on "Yuk Foo," "Space & Time," and "Beautifully Unconventional," and delving into the trippier side of their music on "Formidable Cool," "Sadboy," and the title track, which flirts with prog and metal in its ambitious sweep. While these songs reaffirm that Wolf Alice can pull off almost any style of music, Visions of a Life's most convincing moments build on My Love Is Cool's forays into dream pop. Inspired by a late friend of the band, the aptly named opener "Heavenward" is so gorgeous that it's tempting to want Wolf Alice to concentrate on this side of their music in the future. Similarly, "Planet Hunter" and "St. Purple & Green" are potent reminders of just how well the band does huge moments, while Ellie Roswell's whispers bring intimacy to love's euphoric beginnings on "Don't Delete the Kisses" and its rocky end on "Sky Musings." A reflection of a young band trying out all its possibilities, Visions of a Life is more scattered than My Love Is Cool, but its best songs hint at even more potential. [Visions of a Life was also released on LP.] ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	09/29/2017
Label:	Dirty Hit / Rca
UPC:	0889854591526
Rank:	35730

Tracks

1. Heavenward
2. Yuk Foo
3. Beautifully Unconventional
4. Don't Delete the Kisses
5. Planet Hunter
6. Sky Musings
7. Formidable Cool
8. Space & Time
9. Sadboy
10. St. Purple & Green
11. After the Zero Hour
12. Visions of a Life

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Wolf Alice   Primary Artist
Justin Meldal-Johnsen   Synthesizer,Keyboards
Charlie Ellis   Vocals (Background)
Carlos de la Garza   Percussion
Joel Amey   Keyboards,Omnichord,Percussion,Vocals (Background)
Theo Ellis   Bass,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Ellie Rowsell   Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Omnichord,Synthesizer
Joff Oddie   Guitar,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Robert O'Hara   Design
Justin Meldal-Johnsen   Programming,Producer
Dave Cooley   Mastering
Tom Elmhirst   Mixing
Carlos de la Garza   Engineer
Tyler Shields   Assistant Engineer
Mike Schuppan   Engineer
Dan Chertoff   A&R
Jammie Oborne   A&R
Ellen Rowsell   Composer
Jonathan Oddie   Composer
Joel Amey   Composer,Programming,Group Member
Theo Ellis   Composer,Group Member
Theodore Ellis   Composer
Ellie Rowsell   Composer,Group Member
Joff Oddie   Composer,Programming,Group Member