"Wolf Alice - The Clearing" Wonderful, Magnificent, Indulgent

    If there's one word I'd use to describe this album, it's indulgent. Indulgent in the sense that there are really no holds barred on this album, it's not going to be some low-key indie affair, it might be a bit too grand or a bit much for some people, but for me, I relish in the theatrics, I will always appreciate these big, sometimes over the top pieces. Perhaps that's just me, but imagine my surprise when I randomly put this album on last year, only to instantly fall in love with it. I have a bit of a soft spot for baroque pop after all anyways, Queen was one of the first bands I listened to seriously, I used to love Fun. as a kid, and of course Pretty Odd. was one of my favourite albums growing up. What I didn't realize is that slowly but surely, this album would stay ingrained in my mind, slowly gnawing away until I enjoyed it more and more with each passing listen. Would I say it's my favourite album from 2025? If you asked me last year I wouldn't have said so, but now given some time to listen to it again and again, I might be inclined to say yes. So without further ado, my track-by-track review.

The Clearing - Wolf Alice

Thorns - 80/100 I think this is a great starter track. It sort of lulls you into the sound of the whole album. It doesn't go all out, but it doesn't hide itself and tells you exactly what this album is going to be about. Off to a great start.

Bloom Baby Bloom - 90/100 I've always had a thing for the grand and theatric. I mean this album did basically warn listeners what this album was going to be about, and this album cover perfectly encapsulates how this album is going to sound. Roswell's voice just absolutely shines in this song, it just takes up all of the air in this song, in a good way. 

Just Two Girls - 100/100 Being a lesbian never sounds so appealing. I think there's just something so catchy about his song. The chorus, the air of sophistication you can feel from the instrumentation and lyrics, it's all just so deliciously irresistible. This was the first song I fell in love with on this album and I've never really looked back.

Leaning Against the Wall - 80/100 There's something so tender about this song. I do appreciate when artists do slow songs that aren't just generic singer singing at a certain slow tempo with only an acoustic guitar serving as the backing track. I do have to acknowledge that the outro is a flourish that some might see as unnecessary but I don't think detracts from the song.

Passenger Seat - 80/100 Just like this song describes, I can immediately imagine this song playing on a nice summer afternoon with all of the windows down and the wind is blowing through my hair.

Play It Out - 75/100 While the album has slowed down pretty significantly in my eyes at this point I don't really mind it and frankly Wolf Alice has done more than enough to impress me on this record, they can do a slow section they have earned it in my eyes.

Bread Butter Tea Sugar - 80/100 In preparation for this review I was looking to see what other people had to say about this record since I'm not very familiar with the rest of the bands work and I was surprised to see it was their least well received album. There were many complaints about lyrics but as someone whose listened to a lot of emo music I'm used to giving leeway on that front, except I don't really see that complaint being valid, but I can see why it might apply to songs like this one. Even still, having listened to one other Wolf Alice record up until this point I do think this sound/style is their best work.

Safe in the World - 75/100 This song once again conjures up the vision of driving on a lazy Sunday afternoon for me, but less strongly than before.

Midnight Song - 70/100 I must admit this album isn't perfect. This song is fine and doesn't tank the score of the album for me, but it doesn't really do it any favours as well.

White Horses - 90/100 Just for good measure Wolf Alice turns it up one more time in the album, making sure their full vocal and instrumental range is felt.

The Sofa - 80/100 I didn't really make much of this song on first listen but imagine my surprise when i found out it's one of the most popular songs on the album. I do have to admit I have found myself singing this song to myself more often lately.

Final Score: 85/100

    Honestly, I think the score might be higher, but like when I first listened to this album, I'm hesitant to give it a higher score. Not in the sense that I didn't love this album, I most certainly did. But in my mind what makes an album great is replayability, not in the sense that it needs to be some fun pop song that you play 100 times in a row, but rather in the sense that great albums are ones that you naturally want to come back and revisit. And for me that's this album. I wasn't really enjoying any of the new music I had been hearing in this year so far, so I started revisiting albums, and this was one of the first ones that immediately came to my mind. I do think it gets a bit too slow in the second half, and definitely feels one slow song too many. But either way, fantastic work from the entire band, and it definitely scratches a nice itch I have for music of this sound.