Proving that all not alt.rock indie bands are hewn from the same piece of identikit rock, London’s Wolf Alice may have a few too many tricks up their collective sleeve, but all of them actually work and surprise.
Songs as good as Bros (indie pop with a true heart), Soapy Water (chilled, slow-moving, breast-beating electro), Fluffy (a bit of a sonic bone-bruiser), Giant Peach (skittery pop music reminiscent of 1990s alt.pop duo Shampoo), and The Wonderwhy (an arena anthem with integrity) are delivered with an indelible sense of assurance that belies the band's brief existence and the album's debut status.
Taking their name from an Angela Carter short story, Wolf Alice’s magpie tendencies might reflect a fear of being typecast, but they tackle each style so deftly that one can only praise them for their range and reach.
