Patrick Wolf - The Bachelor (Album)
» Patrick Wolf - Zoo, The, QLD - December 10, 2009
I firmly hold the belief that Patrick Wolf can do no wrong and his latest album, The Bachelor, just reinforces that belief. Because I will inevitably mention this, I may as well get it out of the way now: Patrick Wolf is an incredibly beautiful human being and holding a copy of The Bachelor in my hands means I get to see his perfectly chiselled jaw, feathery hair and delightfully bony body dressed up in a number of glorious outfits, which are impossible to describe, owing to their eccentricity. But they are rather pleasant to look at. Oh, Patrick...
But that aside, Mr. Wolf was not just blessed by nature with immaculate good looks. He is also an incredibly talented young man. Not yet 26-years-old, this London-bred musician has already released three critically acclaimed albums, his first in 2003, making The Bachelor album #4, part of a double album split over two years, with the second part, The Conqueror, to be released next year. Whilst that distinct Patrick Wolf sound lingers with each album he creates, this latest offering is significantly different to his last, The Magic Position. A much darker and broodier album, it is not as optimistic as the last, on the surface at least. It does not confront you with the idea that everything is going to be fine and dandy. The Bachelor is more reminiscent of Wind in the Wires. It is quietly optimistic, but only beneath the surface.
The tone of The Bachelor is set from the 47-second opening track a howl of sirens which leads to Hard Times, an unapologetically political song. Think of any band you wish from the 1960s think about how they incorporated commentary on their context, which inevitably tainted their music, yet did not force them to compromise their sound. That is what Patrick Wolf has achieved with The Bachelor. He seems to have retreated from the happy bubble of The Magic Position and become aware of the imperfections of the world he exists in. The songs are littered with violent themes and the sound is confronting not as uplifting and rejuvenating as some of his previous work. But it is relevant and comforting in the possibilities it exposes, the refusal to submit to fear and helplessness. As Tilda Swinton narrates what are you afraid of?, Alec Empire features on the single Vulture and on Battle, a song which sounds more like Atari Teenage Riotthan Patrick Wolf but is certainly an interesting addition.
Vulture perhaps was not the best choice as a single, as it does not represent wholly what the album captures. However, it is hard to pick out a single song to represent this incredible piece of work. From the breathtaking Damaris to the praise of independence to break glasses against walls to, The Bachelor, and the calls to revolution featuring Mr. Empire, to the songs which assert the refusal of Patrick Wolf to compromise who he is, ever evolving but always wonderful. This album is not ordinary for a second. The Bachelor is the best album I have heard this year, without a doubt. It is incredibly powerful and upfront.
It is wonderful to see Patrick Wolf continuing his unique approach to music making, fusing different styles and continually exploring. The Bachelor and Damaris are definitely the stand-out tracks but every song on this album is beautiful and I implore you to do yourself a favour and give it a listen.
