Patrick Wolf - Lupercalia

Thu 23rd Jun, 2011 in Music Reviews

Of the releases this year, few can match the sheer beauty of Patrick Wolf’s latest achievement. Wolf’s fifth studio album, Lupercalia, offers the sonic equivalent of a fairytale, offering a swiftly jubilant and heartwarming affair. An emphatic record, Lupercalia continues the brilliant form Wolf has shown to date, set to entice old fans and enchant new audiences alike.

Opener The City paints a picture of pure defiance, a romantic, against-all-odds vow prevailing amidst an anthemic backdrop. The melodic brilliance of Wolf’s silver-tongued chorus sticks instantly, making for a fine first impression. House and Bermondsey St successfully build upon Lupercalia’s foundations, appearing enthused and alive, each intricacy of Wolf’s compositions simply glistening. Wolf’s production wizardry returns in full effect, delivering a rich brand of joy with each song. Much of Lupercalia sounds gloriously flamboyant, targeting an explosively triumphant tone with nothing less than a bullseye with each crescendo. More often than not, the record posits itself as a critical rendezvous between music and cinema.

Such is the case with album highlight Time Of My Life, a slice of impassioned, cinematic angst. Wolf cuts a detached figure, the song championing a tense, ambiguous sense of freedom. “I’ll be happy without you,” Wolf proclaims, though his conviction – and indeed his exact mood or tone – remains dubious. This sense of conflict is a real treat as Time Of My Life becomes a perfectly evocative pop gem. Meanwhile, The Falcons ushers in a saccahrine Hollywood finale, Wolf confidently declaring, “Things are looking up for you, looking up for me, looking up for us, finally!” in one satisfying conclusion.

On the whole, a strong undercurrent of romance works to define Lupercalia. Wolf always manages to uncover the most disarming avenue of expression in a wealthy arsenal of ideas, his lyrical craft superbly affecting whilst successfully equalling the fanfare of his instrumentation. There’s a refreshing, exciting sense of assurance in everything Wolf attempts – even if, at its core, Lupercalia owes its biggest and brightest moments to a base set of pop sensibilities. Frequently resembling a fine fusion between a modern day Erasure and fame monster Lady GaGa, Patrick Wolf boasts sublime pop sensibilities with a dash of cool, poetic intellect.

Ultimately, Lupercalia is bound to excite and ultimately satisfy longtime fans. Meanwhile, with Wolf’s craft as affecting and heartwarming as ever, there’s never been a better time nor a better place to start for the unacquainted to explore this Londoner’s extraordinary talents.