Consequence of Sound » Patrick Wolf http://consequenceofsound.net Think Fast, Listen Slowly Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:03:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Patrick Wolf readies new EP: Brumalia http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/10/patrick-wolf-readies-new-ep-brumalia/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/10/patrick-wolf-readies-new-ep-brumalia/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Brumalia-EP.jpg Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:08:44 +0000 Chris Coplan http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=159970

Some folks find winter to be a harsh, depressing period of the year (even if there’s snowmen to be made and hot cocoa to drink). UK multi-instrumentalist Patrick Wolf may agree to a certain extent, but he also found the year’s coldest months to be ripe with inspiration for a new EP, Brumalia.

Named after the Roman mid-winter holiday, the six-track EP will hit stores in the UK on November 28th and features at least one demo Wolf recorded on an iPad during a tour stop in Florida. The most intriguing aspect of the effort, though, is its cover art, which was shot by punk pioneer Patti Smith. “These are two photos Patti took of me on Cooden Beach on a freezing windy Winter day earlier this year the day after I played harp and viola for her at the De La Warr Pavilion,” Wolf told Clash Music. ”To me the photos sum up the bleakness and melancholy of England in the Winter months, which was something that inspired the choice of songs on this EP.” Check out that album cover above.

Wolf will be on tour in the UK and Europe for the rest of the year; check out the full schedule below. Stay tuned for more on the Brumalia EP as it’s announced, including a possible U.S. release.

Patrick Wolf 2011 Tour Dates:
10/22 – Edinburg, UK @ Edinburg Liquid Room
10/23 – Belfast, UK @ Speakeasy
10/24 – Dublin, IE @ The Academy
10/26 – Mancester, UK @ Ritz
10/27 – Leeds, UK @ Cockpit
10/28 – Sheffield, UK @ Foundry
10/30 – Cardiff, UK @ Millennium Music Hall
10/31 – Oxford, UK @ O2 Academy 2
11/01 – Bournemouth, UK @ The Old Firestation
11/03 – Brighton, UK @ Komedia
11/04 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
11/07 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie
11/08 – Hamburg, DE @ Ubel & Gefaehrlich
11/10 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
11/11 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser
11/12 – Oslo, NO @ Parkteatret
11/14 – Berlin, DE @ Astra
11/15 – Wroclaw, PL @ Firlej
11/16 – Warsaw, PL @ Stodola
11/18 – Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz
11/19 – Koninklijke Schouwburg, NL @ Crossing Border
11/22 – Munich, DE @ Frieheiz
11/23 – Heidelberg, DE @ Karlstorbahnhof
11/24 – Winterthur, CH @ Salzhaus
11/26 – Bern Dachstock, CH @ Reitschule
11/27 – Vienna, AT @ Arena
11/28 – Salzburg, AT @ Rockhouse
11/29 – Prague, CZ @ Palac Akropolis
12/08 – Moscow, RU @ MILK
12/09 – St. Petersburg, RU @ Kosmonavt

]]> Brumalia. Named after the Roman mid-winter holiday, the six-track EP will hit stores in the UK on November 28th and features at least one demo Wolf recorded on an iPad during a tour stop in Florida. The most intriguing aspect of the effort, though, is its cover art, which was shot by punk pioneer Patti Smith. "These are two photos Patti took of me on Cooden Beach on a freezing windy Winter day earlier this year the day after I played harp and viola for her at the De La Warr Pavilion," Wolf told Clash Music. "To me the photos sum up the bleakness and melancholy of England in the Winter months, which was something that inspired the choice of songs on this EP." Check out that album cover above. Wolf will be on tour in the UK and Europe for the rest of the year; check out the full schedule below. Stay tuned for more on the Brumalia EP as it's announced, including a possible U.S. release. Patrick Wolf 2011 Tour Dates: 10/22 – Edinburg, UK @ Edinburg Liquid Room 10/23 – Belfast, UK @ Speakeasy 10/24 – Dublin, IE @ The Academy 10/26 – Mancester, UK @ Ritz 10/27 – Leeds, UK @ Cockpit 10/28 – Sheffield, UK @ Foundry 10/30 – Cardiff, UK @ Millennium Music Hall 10/31 – Oxford, UK @ O2 Academy 2 11/01 – Bournemouth, UK @ The Old Firestation 11/03 – Brighton, UK @ Komedia 11/04 – London, UK @ Roundhouse 11/07 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie 11/08 – Hamburg, DE @ Ubel & Gefaehrlich 11/10 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega 11/11 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser 11/12 – Oslo, NO @ Parkteatret 11/14 – Berlin, DE @ Astra 11/15 – Wroclaw, PL @ Firlej 11/16 – Warsaw, PL @ Stodola 11/18 – Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz 11/19 – Koninklijke Schouwburg, NL @ Crossing Border 11/22 – Munich, DE @ Frieheiz 11/23 – Heidelberg, DE @ Karlstorbahnhof 11/24 – Winterthur, CH @ Salzhaus 11/26 – Bern Dachstock, CH @ Reitschule 11/27 – Vienna, AT @ Arena 11/28 – Salzburg, AT @ Rockhouse 11/29 – Prague, CZ @ Palac Akropolis 12/08 – Moscow, RU @ MILK 12/09 – St. Petersburg, RU @ Kosmonavt]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/10/patrick-wolf-readies-new-ep-brumalia/feed/ 0 Patrick Wolf announces brief U.S. tour http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/08/patrick-wolf-announces-brief-u-s-tour/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/08/patrick-wolf-announces-brief-u-s-tour/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2011/08/41skI5rlrIL.jpeg Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:45:38 +0000 Ryan Capuano http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=140876 At this point in his career, British singer-songwriter Patrick Wolf’s fascination with werewolves is oddly telling, given the infrequency with which he has toured the U.S. lately. But after a slew of European tour dates this summer, the chamber-pop maestro will be landing on this side of the pond for an all-too-brief tour in support of his latest LP Lupercalia, which is set to debut in North America early 2012. And through no shortage of irony, Wolf will be making his first Stateside appearance the night after a full moon.

The three-date itinerary sees him arriving on September 13th in Los Angeles to perform at the iconic Hollywood Forever Cemetery. After two more appearances in San Francisco and New York respectively, it’s back to Europe for an additional two-month tour. As per Wolf’s website, some Canadian dates could find themselves sandwiched in between the two tours.

As for what to expect at each gig, Wolf plans to give his songs the bare bones treatment, offering each in its rawest form. Each set will feature a solo acoustic performance from Wolf touching on not only the new material, but on favorite tracks from throughout his five-album career, as well.

Patrick Wolf 2011 Tour Dates
08/13 – Hildesheim, DE @ M’era Luna Festival
08/19 – Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop Festival
08/26 – Reading, UK @ Reading Festival
08/27 – Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival
09/09 – Robin Hill, UK @ Bestival
09/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Masonic Hall, Hollywood Forever Cemetery
09/15 – San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club
09/17 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
10/22 – Edinburg, UK @ Edinburg Liquid Room
10/23 – Belfast, UK @ Speakeasy
10/24 – Dublin, IE @ The Academy
10/26 – Mancester, UK @ Ritz
10/27 – Leeds, UK @ Cockpit
10/28 – Sheffield, UK @ Foundry
10/30 – Cardiff, UK @ Millennium Music Hall
10/31 – Oxford, UK @ O2 Academy 2
11/01 – Bournemouth, UK @ The Old Firestation
11/03 – Brighton, UK @ Komedia
11/04 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
11/07 – Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie
11/08 – Hamburg, DE @ Ubel & Gefaehrlich
11/10 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
11/11 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser
11/12 – Oslo, NO @ Parkteatret
11/14 – Berlin, DE @ Astra
11/15 – Wroclaw, PL @ Firlej
11/16 – Warsaw, PL @ Stodola
11/18 – Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz
11/19 – Koninklijke Schouwburg, NL @ Crossing Border
11/22 – Munich, DE @ Frieheiz
11/23 – Heidelberg, DE @ Karlstorbahnhof
11/24 – Winterthur, CH @ Salzhaus
11/26 – Bern Dachstock, CH @ Reitschule
11/27 – Vienna, AT @ Arena
11/28 – Salzburg, AT @ Rockhouse
11/29 – Prague, CZ @ Palac Akropolis
12/08 – Moscow, RU @ MILK
12/09 – St. Petersburg, RU @ Kosmonavt

]]> Lupercalia, which is set to debut in North America early 2012. And through no shortage of irony, Wolf will be making his first Stateside appearance the night after a full moon. The three-date itinerary sees him arriving on September 13th in Los Angeles to perform at the iconic Hollywood Forever Cemetery. After two more appearances in San Francisco and New York respectively, it's back to Europe for an additional two-month tour. As per Wolf's website, some Canadian dates could find themselves sandwiched in between the two tours. As for what to expect at each gig, Wolf plans to give his songs the bare bones treatment, offering each in its rawest form. Each set will feature a solo acoustic performance from Wolf touching on not only the new material, but on favorite tracks from throughout his five-album career, as well. Patrick Wolf 2011 Tour Dates 08/13 - Hildesheim, DE @ M'era Luna Festival 08/19 - Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop Festival 08/26 - Reading, UK @ Reading Festival 08/27 - Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival 09/09 - Robin Hill, UK @ Bestival 09/13 - Los Angeles, CA @ Masonic Hall, Hollywood Forever Cemetery 09/15 - San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo's 365 Club 09/17 - New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge 10/22 - Edinburg, UK @ Edinburg Liquid Room 10/23 - Belfast, UK @ Speakeasy 10/24 - Dublin, IE @ The Academy 10/26 - Mancester, UK @ Ritz 10/27 - Leeds, UK @ Cockpit 10/28 - Sheffield, UK @ Foundry 10/30 - Cardiff, UK @ Millennium Music Hall 10/31 - Oxford, UK @ O2 Academy 2 11/01 - Bournemouth, UK @ The Old Firestation 11/03 - Brighton, UK @ Komedia 11/04 - London, UK @ Roundhouse 11/07 - Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie 11/08 - Hamburg, DE @ Ubel & Gefaehrlich 11/10 - Copenhagen, DK @ Vega 11/11 - Stockholm, SE @ Debaser 11/12 - Oslo, NO @ Parkteatret 11/14 - Berlin, DE @ Astra 11/15 - Wroclaw, PL @ Firlej 11/16 - Warsaw, PL @ Stodola 11/18 - Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz 11/19 - Koninklijke Schouwburg, NL @ Crossing Border 11/22 - Munich, DE @ Frieheiz 11/23 - Heidelberg, DE @ Karlstorbahnhof 11/24 - Winterthur, CH @ Salzhaus 11/26 - Bern Dachstock, CH @ Reitschule 11/27 - Vienna, AT @ Arena 11/28 - Salzburg, AT @ Rockhouse 11/29 - Prague, CZ @ Palac Akropolis 12/08 - Moscow, RU @ MILK 12/09 - St. Petersburg, RU @ Kosmonavt]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/08/patrick-wolf-announces-brief-u-s-tour/feed/ 0 Album Review: Patrick Wolf – Lupercalia http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/06/album-review-patrick-wolf-%e2%80%93-lupercalia/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/06/album-review-patrick-wolf-%e2%80%93-lupercalia/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2011/06/41skI5rlrIL.jpeg Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:58:45 +0000 Möhammad Choudhery http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=127080 As any fan, casual listener, or critic of Patrick Wolf could tell you, the chamber-pop star loves three things: grandiosity, folklore, and wolves. The singer-songwriter’s lauded 2003 debut, Lycanthropy, was a clever, timely convergence of hallowed British folk and classical traditions and the sort of electronic overtones that had just begun to infiltrate indie music, and he’s spent the past near-decade expanding on those three things. The last we heard from him, 2009′s The Bachelor, Wolf’s music had grown more accessible than ever (as on its first single, the huge Baroque pop anthem “Hard Times”) and dimmed to near post-punk levels of melancholy, while working his self-actualized mythology deep into the album’s framework more successfully than ever before, even enlisting Academy Award-winner Tilda Swinton to lend her voice to a handful of tracks and interludes. The Bachelor was initially envisioned as the first of a two-album series called Battles, with the second part — originally entitled the Conquerer, now Lupercalia — due out some time last year. Intended as a counterpoint to The Bachelor‘s uncharacteristic gloom, it finds the 27-year-old balladeer evidently deep in love and back to his cheery, exuberant ways, pounding away at his piano/synth/violin theatrically, while again extolling the virtues of being in love. Your feelings about this relapse into old habits will likely weigh heavily into your opinion on the album.

Two albums ago, on his third record the Magic Position, Patrick Wolf delved for the first time into romanticism, most notably in the saccharine waltz of “Enchanted”. Where his first couple of albums touched on considerably darker lyrical material (see: the aptly titled macabre of Lycanthropy‘s ”the Childcatcher”), the LP dug deep into what one can only assume was a rather bright time in the singer-songwriter’s life. Even the album’s dimmer points, the doleful Marianne Faithfull duet “Magpie” for instance, were flecked at the corners with lively string sections or cheery ukelele strums. In a similar manner, Lupercalia indulges Wolf’s romantic side, though this time he seems more comfortable with a wider variety of styles, such as the lush waltz that leads “House” along and the half-disco lope of lead single “the City” (which comes complete with a sleazy sax solo).

Wolf’s strongest point, which doubles curiously as the biggest chink in his armor, is his earnestness. His career’s been marked from its very start with a certain immediacy and urgency to get every thought, emotion and feeling out in the open, both musically and lyrically. While that allows for a genuine, analogous bond with listeners and fans when he manages to emote successfully (as on the album’s marvelous “Together”, on which Wolf’s adoring croon and steady disco-beat make for one of his finest tracks yet), his odd inclination to try to share everything, while often not saying much beyond the usual sentimental cliché makes it terribly difficult to take him seriously when he stumbles (on the cringe-worthy “Slow Motion” which — for reasons completely inexplicable — includes some very unseemly primal hoots and hollers, all while Wolf attempts to croon about the kiss of life). Mercifully, Wolf and his music manage to fall somewhere in between marvelous and cringe-worthy for most of Lupercalia, more often than not managing to communicate the album’s warm, passionate theme in his signature, winning charm.

In an interview a couple of months ago, Wolf claimed that he “wanted nothing on [Lupercalia] to feel artificial at all”, attested that he hardly “felt like [he] belonged in pop music.” While he succeeds fairly well at ensuring that Lupercalia spends its every minute displaying his emotions on its sleeve, it’s fairly safe to say that this record won’t exactly storm the charts. Indeed, perhaps the only thing here more pretentious than the verbose lyrics and over-ornate music is the album’s wordy title and its ostentatious cover star. All the same, if you can bear the stuffiness — either as a longtime fan or just because you like this sort of thing to begin with — you’re in for a treat and one of the sweetest records you’ll hear all year.

]]> Lycanthropy, was a clever, timely convergence of hallowed British folk and classical traditions and the sort of electronic overtones that had just begun to infiltrate indie music, and he's spent the past near-decade expanding on those three things. The last we heard from him, 2009's The Bachelor, Wolf's music had grown more accessible than ever (as on its first single, the huge Baroque pop anthem "Hard Times") and dimmed to near post-punk levels of melancholy, while working his self-actualized mythology deep into the album's framework more successfully than ever before, even enlisting Academy Award-winner Tilda Swinton to lend her voice to a handful of tracks and interludes. The Bachelor was initially envisioned as the first of a two-album series called Battles, with the second part -- originally entitled the Conquerer, now Lupercalia -- due out some time last year. Intended as a counterpoint to The Bachelor's uncharacteristic gloom, it finds the 27-year-old balladeer evidently deep in love and back to his cheery, exuberant ways, pounding away at his piano/synth/violin theatrically, while again extolling the virtues of being in love. Your feelings about this relapse into old habits will likely weigh heavily into your opinion on the album. Two albums ago, on his third record the Magic Position, Patrick Wolf delved for the first time into romanticism, most notably in the saccharine waltz of "Enchanted". Where his first couple of albums touched on considerably darker lyrical material (see: the aptly titled macabre of Lycanthropy's "the Childcatcher"), the LP dug deep into what one can only assume was a rather bright time in the singer-songwriter's life. Even the album's dimmer points, the doleful Marianne Faithfull duet "Magpie" for instance, were flecked at the corners with lively string sections or cheery ukelele strums. In a similar manner, Lupercalia indulges Wolf's romantic side, though this time he seems more comfortable with a wider variety of styles, such as the lush waltz that leads "House" along and the half-disco lope of lead single "the City" (which comes complete with a sleazy sax solo). Wolf's strongest point, which doubles curiously as the biggest chink in his armor, is his earnestness. His career's been marked from its very start with a certain immediacy and urgency to get every thought, emotion and feeling out in the open, both musically and lyrically. While that allows for a genuine, analogous bond with listeners and fans when he manages to emote successfully (as on the album's marvelous "Together", on which Wolf's adoring croon and steady disco-beat make for one of his finest tracks yet), his odd inclination to try to share everything, while often not saying much beyond the usual sentimental cliché makes it terribly difficult to take him seriously when he stumbles (on the cringe-worthy "Slow Motion" which -- for reasons completely inexplicable -- includes some very unseemly primal hoots and hollers, all while Wolf attempts to croon about the kiss of life). Mercifully, Wolf and his music manage to fall somewhere in between marvelous and cringe-worthy for most of Lupercalia, more often than not managing to communicate the album's warm, passionate theme in his signature, winning charm. In an interview a couple of months ago, Wolf claimed that he "wanted nothing on [Lupercalia] to feel artificial at all", attested that he hardly "felt like [he] belonged in pop music." While he succeeds fairly well at ensuring that Lupercalia spends its every minute displaying his emotions on its sleeve, it's fairly safe to say that this record won't exactly storm the charts. Indeed, perhaps the only thing here more pretentious than the verbose lyrics and over-ornate music is the album's wordy title and its ostentatious cover star. All the same, if you can bear the stuffiness -- either as a longtime fan or just because you like this sort of thing to begin with -- you're in for a treat and one of the sweetest records you'll hear all year.]]> 60 http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/06/album-review-patrick-wolf-%e2%80%93-lupercalia/feed/ 0 Patrick Wolf details new album Lupercalia http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/02/patrick-wolf-details-new-album-lupercalia/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/02/patrick-wolf-details-new-album-lupercalia/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2011/02/patrickwolf.jpg Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:44:52 +0000 Harry Painter http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=105449 It’s a little strange Patrick Wolf doesn’t have more recognition in the States. He’s on his fifth album, is widely revered by critics, and opened for those Suburbs guys that won all the Grammys. Plus, according to Clash Music, Lady Gaga is now a fan: “I’m really into an artist right now named Patrick Wolf. I think you would really love him — really fantastic, amazing, from the U.K.”

Now might be his moment; Wolf has a new album coming out called Lupercalia, for which Clash Music reports he has recently revealed the tracklisting. Songs include the singles “Time of My Life” and “The City” (out next month), as well as titles like “Slow Motion”, “Bermondsey Street”, “The Future”, “Armistice”, and “William”, which we’ll go ahead and boldly assume is about his fiancé. It was also reported in 2009 Wolf would have Groove Armada and Tilda Swinton on the album, the latter of whom also appeared on Wolf’s previous album, The Bachelor.

According to Clash, Wolf worked with “a number of guest artists” and self-produced the effort, which he recorded in Europe and the United States at nine different studios. Among the guest artists are a choir and a full orchestra, arranged by Fiona Brice.

You can already pre-order this thing from a few sources (might we suggest Amazon?); it’s set for a May 31st release. Check out the full tracklist below and what Wolf describes as “temporary artwork” to the right.

Oh, and there will be a tour; rehearsals are reportedly underway.

Lupercalia Tracklist:
01. The City
02. House
03. Bermondsey Street
04. The Future
05. Armistice
06. William
07. Time of My Life
08. The Days
09. Slow Motion
10. Together
11. The Falcons

]]> Suburbs guys that won all the Grammys. Plus, according to Clash Music, Lady Gaga is now a fan: "I'm really into an artist right now named Patrick Wolf. I think you would really love him -- really fantastic, amazing, from the U.K." Now might be his moment; Wolf has a new album coming out called Lupercalia, for which Clash Music reports he has recently revealed the tracklisting. Songs include the singles "Time of My Life" and "The City" (out next month), as well as titles like "Slow Motion", "Bermondsey Street", "The Future", "Armistice", and "William", which we'll go ahead and boldly assume is about his fiancé. It was also reported in 2009 Wolf would have Groove Armada and Tilda Swinton on the album, the latter of whom also appeared on Wolf's previous album, The Bachelor. According to Clash, Wolf worked with "a number of guest artists" and self-produced the effort, which he recorded in Europe and the United States at nine different studios. Among the guest artists are a choir and a full orchestra, arranged by Fiona Brice. You can already pre-order this thing from a few sources (might we suggest Amazon?); it's set for a May 31st release. Check out the full tracklist below and what Wolf describes as "temporary artwork" to the right. Oh, and there will be a tour; rehearsals are reportedly underway. Lupercalia Tracklist: 01. The City 02. House 03. Bermondsey Street 04. The Future 05. Armistice 06. William 07. Time of My Life 08. The Days 09. Slow Motion 10. Together 11. The Falcons]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/02/patrick-wolf-details-new-album-lupercalia/feed/ 0 Mogwai, Dan Deacon, Voxtrot donate tracks to PEACE http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/04/mogwai-dan-deacon-voxtrot-donate-tracks-to-peace/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/04/mogwai-dan-deacon-voxtrot-donate-tracks-to-peace/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/04/peace.jpg Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:20:17 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=35197 PEACE is the name of the latest project from the Buffetlibre DJs. In support of Amnesty International, the outfit rounded together more than 180 exclusive and unreleased songs by artists from more than 50 countries and are offering them as digitial downloads in exchange for donations. The collected money will be used for Amnesty International’s investigation and action campaigns aimed at preventing cases of Human Rights abuses around the world.

Among the acts lending their talents include Mogwai, Ra Ra Riot, Dan Deacon, Voxtrot, Marissa Nadler, A Place To Bury Strangers, The Antlers, Apostle Of Hustle, Patrick Wolf, The Veils, An Horse, The Spinto Band, Sic Alps, Crocodiles, Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, and Port O’Brien. You can find the complete list of participating artists, sorted by country, below.

In hopes of getting you further jazzed, Buffetlibre has provided us with a few mp3s from the project to post below. Scroll down to check out new selections from Voxtrot and Crocodiles.

Check Out:
Voxtrot – “Whiskey and Water”
Crocodiles – “Nothing To Be Done” (The Pastels Cover)

PEACE Lineup:
NORTH AMERICA:
USA: Micah P. Hinson And The Pioneer Saboteurs, Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3, Ra Ra Riot, Plushgun, Crocodiles, Dan Deacon, Voxtrot, Marissa Nadler, A Place To Bury Strangers, The Antlers, Asobi Seksu, The Spinto Band feat. The Beast Pageant , Port O’Brien, Bart Davenport, Dent May & Cowboy Maloney’s Electric City , KI: Theory, Mike Viola, Her Space Holiday, Pretty & Nice, Sic Alps, Blacklist, DeLeon, Gala, Jeffrey Lewis, Gregor Samsa, Thao + The Get Down Stay Down, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Still Flyin’, Softlightes, Princeton, Odyzë, This Will Destroy You, Cruel Black Dove, Avian X
CANADA: Apostle Of Hustle, Buck 65, Malajube
MEXICO: Mexican Institute Of Sound, Hello Seahorse!, Sussie 4
CUBA: Martha Galarraga

SOUTH AMERICA:
BRAZIL: Bonde Do Role & DJ Chernobyl
CHILE: Javiera Mena, Francisca Valenzuela, Dj Raff
COLOMBIA: Frankie Jazz
BOLIVIA: Surfin Wagner
ARGENTINA: Entre Rios, Manosanta
VENEZUELA: Fordelucs, Kid606 feat. Barbara Panther

EUROPE:
UK: Marc Almond, 4hero, Mogwai, Patrick Wolf, Dubstar, Rose Elinor Dougall
Si Begg, frYars, Gyratory System, Darren Hayman, Cicada, Lucky Soul, Official Secrets Act, The Ultrasonics, Trouble Over Tokyo, The Boy Least Likely To, You Love Her Coz She’s Dead, Catherine A.D.
BELGIUM: Vive La Fête, The Neon Judgement, Girls In Hawaii
AUSTRIA: Fennesz, a life a song a cigarette
GREECE: Marsheaux, Mikro
NORWAY: Rockettothesky, Ane Brun, Ingrid Olava
GERMANY: Stereo Total, Ascii.Disko, Console, Escape With Romeo, Jeans Team, Kissogram, Maral Salmassi & Zero Cash, Kitbuilders, Locas In Love
FRANCE: Tahiti 80, Black Strobe, The Toxic Avenger, Titi Robin with Karim Sami “Diabolo”, The Delano Orchestra, Amélie-les-crayons, Saï Saï, My Broken Frame, Debmaster
FINLAND: Jori Hulkkonen
GREENLAND: Angu
DENMARK: Cartridge, The Broken Beats
ITALY: Dusty Kid, Amari, Amycanbe, Le Man Avec Les Lunettes, Perturbazione
IRELAND: Hystereo, Mundy
ICELAND: Amiina & Kippi Kaninus
HUNGARY: We Plants Are Happy Plants
SWEDEN: I’m From Barcelona, Peter Von Poehl, Napoleon, Lacrosse
FINLAND / GERMANY: AGF/Delay
SERBIA: sevdahBABY
PORTUGAL: X-Wife
NEDERLANDS: Don Diablo, Marike Jager, a balladeer
SWITZERLAND: Heidi Happy feat. Paul Niehaus (Calexico), Low Motion Disco
SPAIN: Miqui Puig, We Are Standard, Olimpic, Boat Beam, The Requesters, After After Hours, The Pinker Tones, Triangulo De Amor Bizarro, Elastic Band, Undo, The Amplid, Niki, Chinese Christmas Cards
RUSSIA: Tesla Boy, Cut2Kill
TURKEY: Gooseflesh

ASIA:
JAPAN: Ryuichi Sakamoto featuring Christian Fennesz
TIBET: Loten Namling, Karjam Saeji, Techung
CHINA: The Pet Conspiracy
HONG KONG: The Marshmallow Kisses, Tramgirl Karaoke Club feat. maskopet
REPUBLIC OF KOREA: EE
ISRAEL: Ivri Lider, Tamar Eisenman, Karni Postel, Nico Teen, The Biting Sheep
ISRAEL / FRANCE: Keren Ann & Shlomi Shaban
INDONESIA: Mocca, Efek Rumah Kaca, White Shoes & The Couples Company
INDIA: Motherjane, menwhopause, Sha’ir + func
IRAQ / DENMARK: Aida Nadeem
IRAQ: Salaam
IRAQ / FRANCE: Aïwa
PALESTINE: CultureSHOC
THAILAND: Cyndi Seui
SINGAPUR: sonicbrat

AFRICA:
SENEGAL: Malick Pathé Sow
TUNISIA / ALGERIA: DuOud
ALGERIA: MHD, Maghrebika feat Bill Laswell, Baâziz
GHANA: Wanlov The Kubolor
MALI: Vieux Farka Touré
UGANDA: Seby Ntege
EGYPT: Bikya
SOUTH AFRICA: Mujava feat Nonsense
MOZAMBIQUE / SOUTH AFRICA: 340ml
CONGO: Kiala

OCEANIA:
NEW ZEALAND: The Veils, The Phoenix Foundation
AUSTRALIA: Jeremy Fowler, An Horse, Operator Please, Birds Of Tokyo, Aeons

]]> Check Out: Voxtrot - "Whiskey and Water" Crocodiles - "Nothing To Be Done" (The Pastels Cover) PEACE Lineup: NORTH AMERICA: USA: Micah P. Hinson And The Pioneer Saboteurs, Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3, Ra Ra Riot, Plushgun, Crocodiles, Dan Deacon, Voxtrot, Marissa Nadler, A Place To Bury Strangers, The Antlers, Asobi Seksu, The Spinto Band feat. The Beast Pageant , Port O'Brien, Bart Davenport, Dent May & Cowboy Maloney's Electric City , KI: Theory, Mike Viola, Her Space Holiday, Pretty & Nice, Sic Alps, Blacklist, DeLeon, Gala, Jeffrey Lewis, Gregor Samsa, Thao + The Get Down Stay Down, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Still Flyin', Softlightes, Princeton, Odyzë, This Will Destroy You, Cruel Black Dove, Avian X CANADA: Apostle Of Hustle, Buck 65, Malajube MEXICO: Mexican Institute Of Sound, Hello Seahorse!, Sussie 4 CUBA: Martha Galarraga SOUTH AMERICA: BRAZIL: Bonde Do Role & DJ Chernobyl CHILE: Javiera Mena, Francisca Valenzuela, Dj Raff COLOMBIA: Frankie Jazz BOLIVIA: Surfin Wagner ARGENTINA: Entre Rios, Manosanta VENEZUELA: Fordelucs, Kid606 feat. Barbara Panther EUROPE: UK: Marc Almond, 4hero, Mogwai, Patrick Wolf, Dubstar, Rose Elinor Dougall Si Begg, frYars, Gyratory System, Darren Hayman, Cicada, Lucky Soul, Official Secrets Act, The Ultrasonics, Trouble Over Tokyo, The Boy Least Likely To, You Love Her Coz She's Dead, Catherine A.D. BELGIUM: Vive La Fête, The Neon Judgement, Girls In Hawaii AUSTRIA: Fennesz, a life a song a cigarette GREECE: Marsheaux, Mikro NORWAY: Rockettothesky, Ane Brun, Ingrid Olava GERMANY: Stereo Total, Ascii.Disko, Console, Escape With Romeo, Jeans Team, Kissogram, Maral Salmassi & Zero Cash, Kitbuilders, Locas In Love FRANCE: Tahiti 80, Black Strobe, The Toxic Avenger, Titi Robin with Karim Sami "Diabolo", The Delano Orchestra, Amélie-les-crayons, Saï Saï, My Broken Frame, Debmaster FINLAND: Jori Hulkkonen GREENLAND: Angu DENMARK: Cartridge, The Broken Beats ITALY: Dusty Kid, Amari, Amycanbe, Le Man Avec Les Lunettes, Perturbazione IRELAND: Hystereo, Mundy ICELAND: Amiina & Kippi Kaninus HUNGARY: We Plants Are Happy Plants SWEDEN: I'm From Barcelona, Peter Von Poehl, Napoleon, Lacrosse FINLAND / GERMANY: AGF/Delay SERBIA: sevdahBABY PORTUGAL: X-Wife NEDERLANDS: Don Diablo, Marike Jager, a balladeer SWITZERLAND: Heidi Happy feat. Paul Niehaus (Calexico), Low Motion Disco SPAIN: Miqui Puig, We Are Standard, Olimpic, Boat Beam, The Requesters, After After Hours, The Pinker Tones, Triangulo De Amor Bizarro, Elastic Band, Undo, The Amplid, Niki, Chinese Christmas Cards RUSSIA: Tesla Boy, Cut2Kill TURKEY: Gooseflesh ASIA: JAPAN: Ryuichi Sakamoto featuring Christian Fennesz TIBET: Loten Namling, Karjam Saeji, Techung CHINA: The Pet Conspiracy HONG KONG: The Marshmallow Kisses, Tramgirl Karaoke Club feat. maskopet REPUBLIC OF KOREA: EE ISRAEL: Ivri Lider, Tamar Eisenman, Karni Postel, Nico Teen, The Biting Sheep ISRAEL / FRANCE: Keren Ann & Shlomi Shaban INDONESIA: Mocca, Efek Rumah Kaca, White Shoes & The Couples Company INDIA: Motherjane, menwhopause, Sha'ir + func IRAQ / DENMARK: Aida Nadeem IRAQ: Salaam IRAQ / FRANCE: Aïwa PALESTINE: CultureSHOC THAILAND: Cyndi Seui SINGAPUR: sonicbrat AFRICA: SENEGAL: Malick Pathé Sow TUNISIA / ALGERIA: DuOud ALGERIA: MHD, Maghrebika feat Bill Laswell, Baâziz GHANA: Wanlov The Kubolor MALI: Vieux Farka Touré UGANDA: Seby Ntege EGYPT: Bikya SOUTH AFRICA: Mujava feat Nonsense MOZAMBIQUE / SOUTH AFRICA: 340ml CONGO: Kiala OCEANIA: NEW ZEALAND: The Veils, The Phoenix Foundation AUSTRALIA: Jeremy Fowler, An Horse, Operator Please, Birds Of Tokyo, Aeons]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/04/mogwai-dan-deacon-voxtrot-donate-tracks-to-peace/feed/ 0 At Your Funeral: Patrick Wolf – “Lycanthropy” http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/at-your-funeral-patrick-wolf-lycanthropy-mr/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/at-your-funeral-patrick-wolf-lycanthropy-mr/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/03/at-your-funeral-300.jpg Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:15:31 +0000 Anthony Balderrama http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=23585 I’ve given a decent amount of time to thinking about what I’d want my funeral to be like. More specifically, I’ve thought about what I don’t want my funeral to be. I’m not obsessed with my demise, but I cringe every time I see what a spectacle funerals have become when a public figure dies. It’s not that my funeral would have any reason to be similar to Michael Jackson’s, but all I can think is, “What a waste.” Lavish funerals are a waste of money — I can’t see the flowers. And they’re a waste of time – shouldn’t the living be seizing the day rather than lamenting it? They’re a waste of tears – be sad for someone who wasted his life, not for someone who enjoyed his.

Because funerals are for the living more than they are for the dead, and because I won’t be in any position to make demands from The Beyond, I hope my loved ones do me proud. One of the few requests I have is that music be involved in the ordeal. Music is a big part of my life, so it should be a big part of my sendoff. Whether I’m buried, cremated, or burned at sea, music needs to be there. The playlist I’d like to hear is long and wide reaching. Some tracks are obvious (Radiohead’s “Videotape”), others are epic (Sigur Rós’ “Untitled #8″), and a few are non-sequiturs (Madonna’s “Vogue”), but I just think they’re really good tunes.

Yet, the one song I’d like to be the focal point and serve as the thesis for my life is Patrick Wolf‘s “Lycanthropy”. In some ways it captures the spirit of all the other tracks I mentioned above. It begins with a few jarring lines about self-mutilation that would certainly shock my funeral attendees. They’re also kind of funny in their crass delivery, which I think would help break any tension. Plus, the opening notes are playful and suggest that we’re about to hear a lighthearted folk song based around woodwinds. It’s a strange mix of grotesque and innocence, which amuses me and sums up my sense of humor, if nothing else.

The primary reason I look to “Lycanthropy” as a great exit song comes in the third stanza. Wolf exclaims, “But there’s no answer, just surrender/Send all your barriers into the fire/And let no foot mark your ground/Let no hand hold you down.” In a few simple lines he sums up a healthy approach to life: stop questioning and start doing. That Wolf released this song when he was barely 20 isn’t surprising, as the sentiment has hubris you don’t often see in adulthood. But that’s the beauty of it — he’s captured that moment when you don’t want to compromise your principles or be a victim like everyone else around you seems to be. It’s idealistic, but it’s easily forgotten once you get caught up in the proverbial real world. I hope that in the moments before my death I would look back and think I spent my life doing what I wanted and not following someone else’s lead. I hope other people would think the same.

After this stanza, the song segues into an electronic-folk song that uses drum loops and digital white noise to augment the softer instrumentation. In subsequent lines, Wolf describes someone who became stronger with experience. “You were once so sad till you cut your suffer off” and “you were once so weak till you sewed your wounds up” describe most people in their formative years, whenever you consider those to be. I think every person looks back at their previous decade and wonders, “What was I thinking?” In four minutes, Wolf sums up what I think a good life should be: an example to be true to yourself. (Cliché, I know, but it’s true for a reason.) The title alone evokes images of a weakling transforming into a strong creature you wouldn’t want to cross.

By the time we get to the final lines, Wolf serves as his own cheering section, with backing vocals repeating, “Let no foot mark your ground/Let no hand hold you down.” In the foreground he rallies, “Be your own hero/Be your own savior/Send all your suffering/Into the fire.” Aside from the fiery allusion that might make my funeral attendees think of Hell, what more could you want in a concluding song? Wolf’s energy is so high that you can’t help but sing along. You can clap to the beat. As the music fades away, you can hear the song unravel a bit when the vocalists and musicians laugh and hoot. It’s a wonderfully informal ending rather than some ostentatious finale, which Wolf has done plenty of times.

In the moment, you believe in his optimism. People spend enough of their time being sarcastic and bitter — I’m as guilty of that as anyone — so why not end on a better note? Why not let people walk away from my (hopefully awesome) funeral a bit happier than when they arrived? If my life was fun and everything I wanted it to be, the memorial should reflect that. Hell, even if it ends up not being everything I want it to be, then let people learn from my mistakes. Either way, “Lycanthropy” tells a message that should be heard and lived.

]]> "What a waste." Lavish funerals are a waste of money -- I can't see the flowers. And they're a waste of time - shouldn't the living be seizing the day rather than lamenting it? They're a waste of tears - be sad for someone who wasted his life, not for someone who enjoyed his. Because funerals are for the living more than they are for the dead, and because I won't be in any position to make demands from The Beyond, I hope my loved ones do me proud. One of the few requests I have is that music be involved in the ordeal. Music is a big part of my life, so it should be a big part of my sendoff. Whether I'm buried, cremated, or burned at sea, music needs to be there. The playlist I'd like to hear is long and wide reaching. Some tracks are obvious (Radiohead's "Videotape"), others are epic (Sigur Rós' "Untitled #8"), and a few are non-sequiturs (Madonna's "Vogue"), but I just think they're really good tunes. Yet, the one song I'd like to be the focal point and serve as the thesis for my life is Patrick Wolf's "Lycanthropy". In some ways it captures the spirit of all the other tracks I mentioned above. It begins with a few jarring lines about self-mutilation that would certainly shock my funeral attendees. They're also kind of funny in their crass delivery, which I think would help break any tension. Plus, the opening notes are playful and suggest that we're about to hear a lighthearted folk song based around woodwinds. It's a strange mix of grotesque and innocence, which amuses me and sums up my sense of humor, if nothing else. The primary reason I look to "Lycanthropy" as a great exit song comes in the third stanza. Wolf exclaims, "But there's no answer, just surrender/Send all your barriers into the fire/And let no foot mark your ground/Let no hand hold you down." In a few simple lines he sums up a healthy approach to life: stop questioning and start doing. That Wolf released this song when he was barely 20 isn't surprising, as the sentiment has hubris you don't often see in adulthood. But that's the beauty of it -- he's captured that moment when you don't want to compromise your principles or be a victim like everyone else around you seems to be. It's idealistic, but it's easily forgotten once you get caught up in the proverbial real world. I hope that in the moments before my death I would look back and think I spent my life doing what I wanted and not following someone else's lead. I hope other people would think the same. After this stanza, the song segues into an electronic-folk song that uses drum loops and digital white noise to augment the softer instrumentation. In subsequent lines, Wolf describes someone who became stronger with experience. "You were once so sad till you cut your suffer off" and "you were once so weak till you sewed your wounds up" describe most people in their formative years, whenever you consider those to be. I think every person looks back at their previous decade and wonders, "What was I thinking?" In four minutes, Wolf sums up what I think a good life should be: an example to be true to yourself. (Cliché, I know, but it's true for a reason.) The title alone evokes images of a weakling transforming into a strong creature you wouldn't want to cross. By the time we get to the final lines, Wolf serves as his own cheering section, with backing vocals repeating, "Let no foot mark your ground/Let no hand hold you down." In the foreground he rallies, "Be your own hero/Be your own savior/Send all your suffering/Into the fire." Aside from the fiery allusion that might make my funeral attendees think of Hell, what more could you want in a concluding song? Wolf's energy is so high that you can't help but sing along. You can clap to the beat. As the music fades away, you can hear the song unravel a bit when the vocalists and musicians laugh and hoot. It's a wonderfully informal ending rather than some ostentatious finale, which Wolf has done plenty of times. In the moment, you believe in his optimism. People spend enough of their time being sarcastic and bitter -- I'm as guilty of that as anyone -- so why not end on a better note? Why not let people walk away from my (hopefully awesome) funeral a bit happier than when they arrived? If my life was fun and everything I wanted it to be, the memorial should reflect that. Hell, even if it ends up not being everything I want it to be, then let people learn from my mistakes. Either way, "Lycanthropy" tells a message that should be heard and lived. ]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/at-your-funeral-patrick-wolf-lycanthropy-mr/feed/ 0 Patrick Wolf writes history at the Palladium (11/15) http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/11/patrick-wolf-writes-history-at-the-palladium-1115/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/11/patrick-wolf-writes-history-at-the-palladium-1115/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:45:15 +0000 Will Hines http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=21934 “You were there when Jimi played the flaming guitar?” … “You saw MJ at Motown 25?”… “You saw Patrick Wolf and Florence at the Palladium?”. The last one may not yet warrant inclusion in the upper echelons of music history, but Patrick Wolf will eventually be remembered as one of our generation’s true talents.

Friday night’s homecoming concert at the London Palladium was simply outstanding. Wolf’s talent has always been prodigious, but the auditorium had an unmistakable air of “happening” — it was pitched as an unmissable, one-off performance, and lived up to expectations. Patrick Wolf finally had a backing worthy of his talent, expanding his touring band to include a four piece choir, full string section, and electronics setup. Oh, and collaborations beyond our wildest dreams.

Support Micachu & The Shapes were left with a difficult task. Their music relies on samples, drum machines, and a familiar audience, but they simply lacked the musicality to make an impression in the huge classical venue. As their set wore on, the reception became colder and colder until you could hear audible groans as songs like “Debris” started up. It’s a shame as in a smaller venue they may have had shared some of the spotlight, but people were there for one reason only.

That reason didn’t keep us waiting. This was a professional operation, calling into question an extremely complex stage setup, orchestral, and electric instruments, multiple performers, a magnetic front man and an unpredictable crowd. Everything ran to plan; the support left the stage, equipment was quickly re-arranged, the safety curtain came down and the wait began. As people took their seats, an intro speech from Wolf, “Divine Intervention”, was broadcast to the audience.

The curtain lifted up as he stepped forth, dressed in black, opening with “Overture”, the traditional opener that has long been crying out for orchestral treatment. It was the first in a long list of tracks that finally found their home on stage, and it was breathtaking to see the songs “as they were meant to be performed.”

The setlist was essentially an expanded version of his current tour version; the majority of The Bachelor was included, barring “Kriespiel”, “Blackdown”, and “The Messenger”, but he added in some live rarities at the expensive of a few fan favourites (“Bloodbeat”, “Teignmouth”, and “Augustine” were all sadly missed). And yet, with a set that lasted over two hours, this is as definitive as it gets.

As is usual, the show jumped between styles. Whilst the opening tracks saw Wolf playing ukulele, he flitted between piano, violin, and a variety of other instruments throughout the show, ever the dynamic frontman. There were moments of unkempt rage, the singer screaming down the microphone and stumbling around stage, only to be followed by silence and reflection. As the ominous “Oblivion” kicked off, the Voice of Hope (actress Gwendoline Christie) stepped on stage in full get-up: “This is the Voice of Hope.” “Hello,” she uttered, in her sexiest voice. “Thickets” was realized in all its glory, the string section going to work on the impressive arrangement.

There were many magical moments, but one stood out. As Florence Welch (of Florence & The Machine) stepped on stage to join Wolf for “The Bachelor”, the crowd erupted in cheers. Their moving performance of the ragtime duet was worthy of such a reception, Welch the perfect vocal foil. Standing with each other, the striking similarities between the two suddenly come into focus, sharing the pale skin, striking hair, and incredible talent.

As Florence left the stage, the gig took another creative direction, with Alec Empire’s setup was wheeled out on stage. One of the founding members of Atari Teenage Riot, Empire has now gone solo and produced a variety of hardcore techno backing for Wolf’s heavier tracks.

Spinning around the stage during “Count Of Casualty”, there was a real sense of joy hidden beneath the crashing beats. Wolf was close to tears at one point, sharing his huge thanks for this opportunity, and explaining that this was a “dream come true.” The cheers broke out again, and the show went on. “Hard Times” was a real turning point, as he commanded us to show a little gusto. The crowd promptly responded, with girls flying out of their seats to dance in the aisles, on their chairs, anywhere they could find space. I have never seen a classical venue so promptly ignored. It might as well have been a mosh pit.

“Damaris” saw the video recreated on stage, with Christie pulling the singer close for a clinch. The next few songs retreated further into his past, before a triumphant rendition of “The Magic Position” brought the main set to a close. The band stayed firmly in position, whilst Patrick left the stage. A partition sheet dropped down, and Patrick’s vocals struck up again, this time singing the introduction to “The Sun Is Often Out”. His voice has the ability to move, most pertinent on this, an ode to two friends — Richard and Stephen — who took their own lives.

The show closed with “Vulture”, Empire once again providing the staccato drum line. It’s an edgy song, speaking of Wolf’s seven day journey into Satanic sex acts whilst in California, but the lyrics ceased to mean anything as the singer emerged. Rotating around on a silver podium, Wolf pulled poses, danced, and ultimately gave an incredible encore performance.

This was, however, a team effort. He made sure each member had their moment in the spotlight before the curtain fell. Once again, Patrick Wolf proved himself to be a consummate performer. At home under the lights, he delivered one of the best shows I have ever witnessed. I feel blessed to be a part of something so momentous.

Patrick Wolf Setlist
Divine Intervention
Overture
Wolf Song
Wind In The Wires
Oblivion (ft. Gwendoline Christie)
Paris
Theseus (ft. Gwendoline Christie)
Who Will?
The Shadowsea
Bluebells
Pigeon Song
Thickets
The Bachelor (featuring Florence Welch)
Epilogue
Noise
Count Of Casualty (featuring Alec Empire)
Battle (featuring Alec Empire)
Hard Times (featuring Alec Empire)
Damaris (featuring
The Libertine
Tristan
Eulogy
Magic Position

Encore:
The Sun Is Often Out
Vulture

——

]]> The Bachelor was included, barring "Kriespiel", "Blackdown", and "The Messenger", but he added in some live rarities at the expensive of a few fan favourites ("Bloodbeat", "Teignmouth", and "Augustine" were all sadly missed). And yet, with a set that lasted over two hours, this is as definitive as it gets. As is usual, the show jumped between styles. Whilst the opening tracks saw Wolf playing ukulele, he flitted between piano, violin, and a variety of other instruments throughout the show, ever the dynamic frontman. There were moments of unkempt rage, the singer screaming down the microphone and stumbling around stage, only to be followed by silence and reflection. As the ominous "Oblivion" kicked off, the Voice of Hope (actress Gwendoline Christie) stepped on stage in full get-up: "This is the Voice of Hope." "Hello," she uttered, in her sexiest voice. "Thickets" was realized in all its glory, the string section going to work on the impressive arrangement. There were many magical moments, but one stood out. As Florence Welch (of Florence & The Machine) stepped on stage to join Wolf for "The Bachelor", the crowd erupted in cheers. Their moving performance of the ragtime duet was worthy of such a reception, Welch the perfect vocal foil. Standing with each other, the striking similarities between the two suddenly come into focus, sharing the pale skin, striking hair, and incredible talent. As Florence left the stage, the gig took another creative direction, with Alec Empire's setup was wheeled out on stage. One of the founding members of Atari Teenage Riot, Empire has now gone solo and produced a variety of hardcore techno backing for Wolf's heavier tracks. Spinning around the stage during "Count Of Casualty", there was a real sense of joy hidden beneath the crashing beats. Wolf was close to tears at one point, sharing his huge thanks for this opportunity, and explaining that this was a "dream come true." The cheers broke out again, and the show went on. "Hard Times" was a real turning point, as he commanded us to show a little gusto. The crowd promptly responded, with girls flying out of their seats to dance in the aisles, on their chairs, anywhere they could find space. I have never seen a classical venue so promptly ignored. It might as well have been a mosh pit. "Damaris" saw the video recreated on stage, with Christie pulling the singer close for a clinch. The next few songs retreated further into his past, before a triumphant rendition of "The Magic Position" brought the main set to a close. The band stayed firmly in position, whilst Patrick left the stage. A partition sheet dropped down, and Patrick's vocals struck up again, this time singing the introduction to "The Sun Is Often Out". His voice has the ability to move, most pertinent on this, an ode to two friends -- Richard and Stephen -- who took their own lives. The show closed with "Vulture", Empire once again providing the staccato drum line. It's an edgy song, speaking of Wolf's seven day journey into Satanic sex acts whilst in California, but the lyrics ceased to mean anything as the singer emerged. Rotating around on a silver podium, Wolf pulled poses, danced, and ultimately gave an incredible encore performance. This was, however, a team effort. He made sure each member had their moment in the spotlight before the curtain fell. Once again, Patrick Wolf proved himself to be a consummate performer. At home under the lights, he delivered one of the best shows I have ever witnessed. I feel blessed to be a part of something so momentous. Patrick Wolf Setlist Divine Intervention Overture Wolf Song Wind In The Wires Oblivion (ft. Gwendoline Christie) Paris Theseus (ft. Gwendoline Christie) Who Will? The Shadowsea Bluebells Pigeon Song Thickets The Bachelor (featuring Florence Welch) Epilogue Noise Count Of Casualty (featuring Alec Empire) Battle (featuring Alec Empire) Hard Times (featuring Alec Empire) Damaris (featuring The Libertine Tristan Eulogy Magic Position Encore: The Sun Is Often Out Vulture ------ ]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/11/patrick-wolf-writes-history-at-the-palladium-1115/feed/ 2 Patrick Wolf takes over Amsterdam, brings debauchery (9/28) http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/09/patrick-wolf-takes-over-amsterdam-brings-debauchery-928/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/09/patrick-wolf-takes-over-amsterdam-brings-debauchery-928/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:05:19 +0000 Will Hines http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=20169 Patrick Wolf is a modern pop icon. Who else attempts to incorporate a head-mic and numerous costume changes into their performances? Britney, Madonna, Gaga and pals, sure. But who could claim that they still write intellectually stimulating music? It might sound silly, but this 26-year-old (nee Apps, now Wolf) has a rightful claim to the pop throne. His stage theatrics are almost without equal, and underneath all the sorrow, makeup, and provocation, Patrick Wolf is just another one of our aspiring stars.

The venue was ideal for what he had planned for the opening night of his European tour. The Paradiso, easily Amsterdam’s best venue, is a converted church, which was packed to the rafters (literally) on Monday evening, the stage adorned only with a large fabric painting displaying a blanched landscape. The acoustics were perfect, and the atmosphere was buzzing while Wolf’s band set up. A drummer, audio technician, violinist and bassist provide the backing, but the rest of the considerable burden lies with Wolf.

The main man himself sidled on stage wearing a ridiculous monochrome Union Jack one-sie (or playsuit, in Vogue vernacular), with huge strips of fabric attached to his right shoulder. With typical panache, he seemed completely at ease, clearly aware that he could push the limits on a weekday, performing in one of the world’s most liberal cities. The show opened with “Who Will”, the first in a number of measured tracks from his latest album, The Bachelor. It’s a melancholy opener but loses none of his trademark provocation, the opening lyric “Who will penetrate the tightening muscle?” leaving little to the imagination. Amsterdam didn’t bat an eyelid.

As usual, Wolf stopped the set early on to ask for requests, eventually settling on “Pigeon Song” (despite this writer’s request for “Bloodbeat”), a solo number with complicated nail pizzicato. He followed it up with “Bluebells”, where the electronic and beat driven aspects were amplified. There was a huge contrast between the slow (which Wolf usually plays alone) and the fast paced numbers, but it all linked up well through Wolf’s improvised noodling between songs.

“The Sun Is Often Out” was preceded by a small monologue about the suicide which led Wolf to pen the song: Stephen Vickery, a poet and friend, committed suicide by throwing himself into the Thames. Wolf addressed the unanswered questions that are associated with this type of loss, giving an emotional solo performance which had the crowd in silent awe. This was in direct contrast with “Hard Times”, boosted in the live environment, which had Wolf playing a flying V electric guitar before marching off stage. The band continued the refrain without him, to which he emerged wearing a white tie, some tails and shorts, with a codpiece to finish the job. The crowd lapped it up.

From this point he had the crowd working for him; during “Theseus”, Wolf picked up another of his many instruments, an “Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer”, before proceeding to explain that tuning them was difficult due to the design, which revolves around mountain air pressure. The rapport was easy and belies his relative anonymity. As the show progressed he slowly evolved into his more camp, in your face persona, referring at one point to the prostitution in Amsterdam: “How do you think I made my money when I was 18? I was a natural blond then.”

“Thickets” featured a three part string harmony, arguably more suited to a live environment with its expansive sound. It is, however, obvious that his earlier work still incites the crowd in a way that the new material cannot yet touch. Wolf wrote “Bloodbeat” as a teenager, and over the years it has been transformed, taking on a show-stopping status in his set. “The Libertine” also sparkled, a ukelele led gypsy stage act which has been honed through years of practice.

After one final change of outfit (this time to a gold lame skin tight jumpsuit) he wrapped up the set, emerging for a two song encore. “Vulture” was saved for last, where a more aggressive, sexually charged stage persona was on display, with crotch grabbing and writhing. After one final vocal flourish, he was gone.

Celebrity is often unfair, the best talents are often missed and under-rated. At this point in his career, Patrick Wolf certainly falls into this category. His music is ever more challenging and experimental, and the stage performances have an air of Bowie about them. And yet, he still rails against the rules and limitations of major labels and societies’ shortcomings. It sounds cruel, but if his journey continues to produce such wonderful music, long may it continue.

]]> Vogue vernacular), with huge strips of fabric attached to his right shoulder. With typical panache, he seemed completely at ease, clearly aware that he could push the limits on a weekday, performing in one of the world's most liberal cities. The show opened with “Who Will”, the first in a number of measured tracks from his latest album, The Bachelor. It’s a melancholy opener but loses none of his trademark provocation, the opening lyric “Who will penetrate the tightening muscle?” leaving little to the imagination. Amsterdam didn't bat an eyelid. As usual, Wolf stopped the set early on to ask for requests, eventually settling on “Pigeon Song” (despite this writer’s request for “Bloodbeat”), a solo number with complicated nail pizzicato. He followed it up with “Bluebells”, where the electronic and beat driven aspects were amplified. There was a huge contrast between the slow (which Wolf usually plays alone) and the fast paced numbers, but it all linked up well through Wolf’s improvised noodling between songs. “The Sun Is Often Out” was preceded by a small monologue about the suicide which led Wolf to pen the song: Stephen Vickery, a poet and friend, committed suicide by throwing himself into the Thames. Wolf addressed the unanswered questions that are associated with this type of loss, giving an emotional solo performance which had the crowd in silent awe. This was in direct contrast with “Hard Times”, boosted in the live environment, which had Wolf playing a flying V electric guitar before marching off stage. The band continued the refrain without him, to which he emerged wearing a white tie, some tails and shorts, with a codpiece to finish the job. The crowd lapped it up. From this point he had the crowd working for him; during “Theseus”, Wolf picked up another of his many instruments, an “Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer”, before proceeding to explain that tuning them was difficult due to the design, which revolves around mountain air pressure. The rapport was easy and belies his relative anonymity. As the show progressed he slowly evolved into his more camp, in your face persona, referring at one point to the prostitution in Amsterdam: "How do you think I made my money when I was 18? I was a natural blond then." “Thickets” featured a three part string harmony, arguably more suited to a live environment with its expansive sound. It is, however, obvious that his earlier work still incites the crowd in a way that the new material cannot yet touch. Wolf wrote “Bloodbeat” as a teenager, and over the years it has been transformed, taking on a show-stopping status in his set. “The Libertine” also sparkled, a ukelele led gypsy stage act which has been honed through years of practice. After one final change of outfit (this time to a gold lame skin tight jumpsuit) he wrapped up the set, emerging for a two song encore. “Vulture” was saved for last, where a more aggressive, sexually charged stage persona was on display, with crotch grabbing and writhing. After one final vocal flourish, he was gone. Celebrity is often unfair, the best talents are often missed and under-rated. At this point in his career, Patrick Wolf certainly falls into this category. His music is ever more challenging and experimental, and the stage performances have an air of Bowie about them. And yet, he still rails against the rules and limitations of major labels and societies' shortcomings. It sounds cruel, but if his journey continues to produce such wonderful music, long may it continue. ]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/09/patrick-wolf-takes-over-amsterdam-brings-debauchery-928/feed/ 2 Patrick Wolf brings his battle to Chicago’s Bottom Lounge (6/15) http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/06/patrick-wolf-brings-his-battle-to-chicagos-bottom-lounge-615/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/06/patrick-wolf-brings-his-battle-to-chicagos-bottom-lounge-615/#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:00:59 +0000 Anthony Balderrama http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=16396 Depending on how you look at Monday night’s Patrick Wolf show, it was either a bargain or a test of endurance. For a moderate ticket price, the evening, sponsored by Nylon magazine’s new record label, boasted three openers and then Wolf as the headliner. From the time the first note sounded through the Bottom Lounge until the house lights went out, fans heard nearly three hours of music and stood for five.

First up was Jaguar Love, a Portland, Oregon duo comprised of frontman Johnny Whitney and guitarist Cody Votolato. I’ll be the first to admit that screaming vocalists do very little for me, especially when they sound like MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden shrieking for dear life. So, in fairness, the band was going to have a difficult time winning me over. Still, Whitney seemed preoccupied with strutting around the stage as if he were heir to Mick Jagger’s throne, while Votolato attacked his guitar with admirable energy. The two were backed by prerecorded beats for every song, and the frustrating part was that the music sounded interesting. It had a frantic energy to it, and might have even given way to some catchy hooks, had it not been for the distracting singing on top of it.

Paris-based Plastiscinestook the stage next and immediately provided a stark contrast to the American Apparel appearance of Jaguar Love. Plastiscines are comprised of four females, three of whom evoke 1960′s Nancy Sinatra’s with their puffed up hair and vintage attire. The band’s sound is a cross between the rock of The Donnas and the alternative party attitude of The B-52s. On certain songs it was easy to write the band off as just another four-piece garage rock band with a record deal (who happened to sing an occasional French tune), but then on the next song the group flashed some originality. The set closer, “Barcelona”, proved to be a lively lovesong to the titular locale, and let lead vocalist Katty Besnard show just how smooth her voice is.

The final opener was Living Things, who are doing their damnedest to fill the void in college prep garage rock that The Hives and The Strokes left behind. Frontman Lillian Berlin did the disinterested vocalist act pretty well, and the rest of the band stuck to the simple three-chord template without faltering. Nothing in the 30-minute set was original, but none of it was bad either. It was just there. Part of the blame goes to the night’s sound engineer who mistook loud for better. At times the music was just so amped up that, yes, you heard everything and your drink was rippling from the bass, but all nuance was gone. On record, the band’s lyrics rise above the genre and help make interesting music. Live, it was all lost in translation.

Finally, at 11:20, long after the 7:00 time on the ticket, Wolf’s band-comprised of a violinist, a bassist, a drummer and an electronics guru-walked onstage. The opening sirens of the brief “Kriegspiel” blared over the speakers and Wolf marched out in white tuxedo jacket over his bastardized black suit. The South London native’s bleached hair was paler than his powdered skin, and his eyelids were adorned with glittery green eyeshadow. The song then faded into “Oblivion”, a track off of this year’s excellent The Bachelor. Strapped with a Flying V guitar, this was obviously a more rocking Wolf than last came to town in 2007. Backed by his band, Wolf sounded like someone who was finally allowed to burst out of the confines of a recording studio. His albums are consistently strong and intricately produced, but live he’s not afraid to let sounds bleed together and perform some vocal acrobatics.

On “The Bachelor”, the Celtic rhythm that drives the song became a screeching, nightmarish folk song that you could almost dance to. Wolf played the piano while his drummer pounded away like he was calling for war.

The set mostly drew from The Bachelor, though he did give a few nods to each of his earlier efforts. “The Libertine” and “Tristan”, both from his breakout 2005 LP Wind in the Wiresproved to be crowd favorites. They also had a distinctly more aggressive tone than before. Where his earlier performances and records were something in the electro-acoustic vein, on Monday night he was a rocker who happens to use strings and digital samples.

Watching the audience, who was comprised of many undergrads with X’s on their hands, I realized that much of his theatrics translate much better live than on record. Rallying tunes “Battle” and “Vulture” are two tracks I singled out as trying too hard previously, but live they filled the crowd with a strange hopeful energy that is normally reserved for the universal anthems of U2 and Coldplay. Wolf is obviously not aiming for this same demographic, but he’s tapping into a left-of-mainstream demographic looking for someone who can revel in his own loneliness as much as he revels in unbridled joy. The clap-happy “The Magic Position” is a childlike romp that’s nearly saccharine, and yet it came only 15 minutes after he sang “The Libertine”, which describes self-mutilation and rape. All while wearing glitter, mind.  As he strutted across the stage, vamping for the audience that sang along to every word, he proved that an artist can explore different facets of their personality and the fans will follow.

Setlist:
Kriegspiel
Oblivion
Bluebells
Count of Casualty
Damaris
The Bachelor
Paris
Tristan
Battle
The Libertine
Who Will
Theseus
Hard Times
The Magic Position
Encore:
Vulture

]]> The Bachelor. Strapped with a Flying V guitar, this was obviously a more rocking Wolf than last came to town in 2007. Backed by his band, Wolf sounded like someone who was finally allowed to burst out of the confines of a recording studio. His albums are consistently strong and intricately produced, but live he's not afraid to let sounds bleed together and perform some vocal acrobatics. On "The Bachelor", the Celtic rhythm that drives the song became a screeching, nightmarish folk song that you could almost dance to. Wolf played the piano while his drummer pounded away like he was calling for war. The set mostly drew from The Bachelor, though he did give a few nods to each of his earlier efforts. "The Libertine" and "Tristan", both from his breakout 2005 LP Wind in the Wiresproved to be crowd favorites. They also had a distinctly more aggressive tone than before. Where his earlier performances and records were something in the electro-acoustic vein, on Monday night he was a rocker who happens to use strings and digital samples. Watching the audience, who was comprised of many undergrads with X's on their hands, I realized that much of his theatrics translate much better live than on record. Rallying tunes "Battle" and "Vulture" are two tracks I singled out as trying too hard previously, but live they filled the crowd with a strange hopeful energy that is normally reserved for the universal anthems of U2 and Coldplay. Wolf is obviously not aiming for this same demographic, but he's tapping into a left-of-mainstream demographic looking for someone who can revel in his own loneliness as much as he revels in unbridled joy. The clap-happy "The Magic Position" is a childlike romp that's nearly saccharine, and yet it came only 15 minutes after he sang "The Libertine", which describes self-mutilation and rape. All while wearing glitter, mind.  As he strutted across the stage, vamping for the audience that sang along to every word, he proved that an artist can explore different facets of their personality and the fans will follow. Setlist: Kriegspiel Oblivion Bluebells Count of Casualty Damaris The Bachelor Paris Tristan Battle The Libertine Who Will Theseus Hard Times The Magic Position Encore: Vulture]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/06/patrick-wolf-brings-his-battle-to-chicagos-bottom-lounge-615/feed/ 1 Album Review: Patrick Wolf – The Bachelor http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/album-review-patrick-wolf-the-bachelor/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/album-review-patrick-wolf-the-bachelor/#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 13:35:58 +0000 Anthony Balderrama http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=15401 Patrick Wolf‘s albums tend to follow a similar pattern: Open with a soft atmospheric build of noises and strings, then either in the first or second song let an exciting rhythm pull you in. I guarantee in the first six minutes of any Patrick Wolf album, you’ll be driven to dance and/or clap, even if you’re sure he’s singing about something fairly heartbreaking. Throughout the album you’ll hear a hybrid of acoustic and digital sounds, as well as some of the loneliest piano songs of the year. With the last track he’ll send you away with the same gentle sounds he seduced you with.

And you know what? Every time you listen to it, you’ll fall in love with the formula because it’s executed so well.

Therein lies the conundrum of the Patrick Wolf experience. Do you criticize him for following the same template when the albums work so well and when the individual songs show a maturing songwriter? Ultimately, I can’t. Aside from the lack of a narrative surprise in his releases, Wolf doesn’t make many missteps in his music.

On The Bachelor, Wolf’s fourth album, he spends the course of the album exploring his solitude, wrestling with loneliness, and rallying both himself and society to emerge from a funk. Heavy stuff, to be sure, but Wolf doesn’t get bogged down in vague concepts for the most part. Take “Blackdown”, which begins as an intimate piano number with Wolf narrating his walk through Sussex, reflecting on his life and a conversation with his father. The one-sided dialogue is him rationalizing his need to leave his home and find out what he stands for. He vows to himself more than to his father that, among other things, he will “Get proud of my birthright / think of the things that I must leave / When I leave behind the city and the living, finally”. After this promise to finally grow up, he lets his voice and the piano trail off until flighty strings trickle in and he whispers, “Desire, desire, desire”. Pounding marching drums cut through his whispers and transform Wolf from a timid boy into a determined man. He finally sounds convincing of his mission when he chants “Desire, desire, desire, you are not the maker of me”.

An album of sad songs about loneliness as sung by a 25 year-old probably sounds like torture. First of all, why do you want to listen to something you could hear at an open mic night? Second, what does someone this young know about the pain of life? To the latter point, Wolf has never pretended to be wiser than his years. His lyrics are earnest and at times naïve, which also responds to the first point. Wolf’s songs aren’t diary entries set to music; they’re experiments in production. His relatively young age comes through his willingness to play with the knobs in the studio, even if it means his smooth voice is twisted beyond recognition.

The title track is easily the standout number of the album, and it proves to be one of the more interesting duets released this year. The lyrics are a modified folk song about a farmer bragging about his wealth of livestock but lamenting his lack of a mate. Wolf removed allusions to gender, replacing “girl” with “someone.” What makes this decision interesting is that half of these lyrics are sung by folk artist Eliza Carthy, whose pregnancy at the time of the recording made her voice gravelly and mannish. Not only do Carthy’s gruff vocals add a sense of androgyny to the dialogue about marriage, as well as a pastoral flavor to the folk tale. Screeching strings teeter between horror soundtrack and the passion of manic troubadour.

Another notable guest on the album is actress Tilda Swinton, whose icy vocals serve as the voice of wisdom to a doubtful Wolf in the electro-pop “Oblivion”. She reappears on “Theseus” as another guiding force to the story narrative. I’m not certain she’s the same character in each appearance, but her recurring parts solidify Wolf as a lone character on a mission through the course of the tracks rather than a singer reciting 14 different songs.

The Bachelor was originally supposed to be a double album but Wolf decided to release it in two volumes, with the follow-up due next year. As interesting as two volumes of Wolf could be, I tend to think he made the right decision. The only times he falters is when he tries too hard. Don’t get me wrong: Wolf loves to produce tracks within a beat of their life. Strings, electric beeps, children’s chants, hand claps, and distorted vocals have appeared on his albums, which is only remarkable when you consider he writes mostly accessible pop tunes. Normally he can push a song to its limit without becoming self indulgent. On occasion he goes too far, and the best example on The Bachelor is “Battle”. Alec Empire, notable for his involvement in Atari Teenage Riot, supplies the beats. Although the tune won’t bust your eardrums like ATR’s tracks could, its frantic pace feels overwrought when coupled with Wolf’s cheerleading. He screams for you to battle homophobes and conservatives and rise up for your rights. A worthy cause, but from the title to the delivery, it’s too done. Think Björk ‘s “Declare Independence” without her tasty Icelandic delivery.

Wolf’s a fan of mixing genres and eras, and the album is full of cross-references, even beyond the folk songs and the classic Greek name. Wolf loves his 80′s retro, as his past releases have proven. Yet, the album’s lead single and homage to 1987 European pop, “Vulture”, is another example of needing to tone it down a bit. The swelling synths and layers of vocals are carbon copies of tracks like “Bloodbeat” and “The Childcatcher”, which we released on his 2004 debut Lycanthropy. He’s been there, done it, and moved on three albums later. Using the same retro tactics to rile us up five years later is disappointing.

Part of what makes Wolf so interesting to follow is watching him build on what works and discarding what doesn’t. Much of his debut’s charm came from his youthful passion, but what often derailed it were lyrics that were too blunt and simple. In the following albums he learned how to balance a clever metaphor with a direct line. He tried new sounds but stayed firmly planted in his hybrid of electronic and acoustic songs. That’s why any rehash of his less successful material feels like a letdown, even if the song isn’t bad and probably would’ve been a good fit for the debut.

Mildly disappointing tracks aside, we’re still left with 12 other strong songs and an album that gels as a whole. Even with a formulaic arrangement, The Bachelor succeeds because Wolf knows how to work within the template he’s created. If you’re a fan, you probably don’t mind the familiar arc. If you’re new to his work, you’re probably impressed with the result. Either way, this meditation on loneliness is a dark journey, but it’s worthwhile. And it leaves me eager to hear what he has to say in the second installment.

Check Out:

Buy:
The Bachelor

]]> The Bachelor, Wolf's fourth album, he spends the course of the album exploring his solitude, wrestling with loneliness, and rallying both himself and society to emerge from a funk. Heavy stuff, to be sure, but Wolf doesn't get bogged down in vague concepts for the most part. Take "Blackdown", which begins as an intimate piano number with Wolf narrating his walk through Sussex, reflecting on his life and a conversation with his father. The one-sided dialogue is him rationalizing his need to leave his home and find out what he stands for. He vows to himself more than to his father that, among other things, he will "Get proud of my birthright / think of the things that I must leave / When I leave behind the city and the living, finally". After this promise to finally grow up, he lets his voice and the piano trail off until flighty strings trickle in and he whispers, "Desire, desire, desire". Pounding marching drums cut through his whispers and transform Wolf from a timid boy into a determined man. He finally sounds convincing of his mission when he chants "Desire, desire, desire, you are not the maker of me". An album of sad songs about loneliness as sung by a 25 year-old probably sounds like torture. First of all, why do you want to listen to something you could hear at an open mic night? Second, what does someone this young know about the pain of life? To the latter point, Wolf has never pretended to be wiser than his years. His lyrics are earnest and at times naïve, which also responds to the first point. Wolf's songs aren't diary entries set to music; they're experiments in production. His relatively young age comes through his willingness to play with the knobs in the studio, even if it means his smooth voice is twisted beyond recognition. The title track is easily the standout number of the album, and it proves to be one of the more interesting duets released this year. The lyrics are a modified folk song about a farmer bragging about his wealth of livestock but lamenting his lack of a mate. Wolf removed allusions to gender, replacing "girl" with "someone." What makes this decision interesting is that half of these lyrics are sung by folk artist Eliza Carthy, whose pregnancy at the time of the recording made her voice gravelly and mannish. Not only do Carthy's gruff vocals add a sense of androgyny to the dialogue about marriage, as well as a pastoral flavor to the folk tale. Screeching strings teeter between horror soundtrack and the passion of manic troubadour. Another notable guest on the album is actress Tilda Swinton, whose icy vocals serve as the voice of wisdom to a doubtful Wolf in the electro-pop "Oblivion". She reappears on "Theseus" as another guiding force to the story narrative. I'm not certain she's the same character in each appearance, but her recurring parts solidify Wolf as a lone character on a mission through the course of the tracks rather than a singer reciting 14 different songs. The Bachelor was originally supposed to be a double album but Wolf decided to release it in two volumes, with the follow-up due next year. As interesting as two volumes of Wolf could be, I tend to think he made the right decision. The only times he falters is when he tries too hard. Don't get me wrong: Wolf loves to produce tracks within a beat of their life. Strings, electric beeps, children's chants, hand claps, and distorted vocals have appeared on his albums, which is only remarkable when you consider he writes mostly accessible pop tunes. Normally he can push a song to its limit without becoming self indulgent. On occasion he goes too far, and the best example on The Bachelor is "Battle". Alec Empire, notable for his involvement in Atari Teenage Riot, supplies the beats. Although the tune won't bust your eardrums like ATR's tracks could, its frantic pace feels overwrought when coupled with Wolf's cheerleading. He screams for you to battle homophobes and conservatives and rise up for your rights. A worthy cause, but from the title to the delivery, it's too done. Think Björk ‘s "Declare Independence" without her tasty Icelandic delivery. Wolf's a fan of mixing genres and eras, and the album is full of cross-references, even beyond the folk songs and the classic Greek name. Wolf loves his 80's retro, as his past releases have proven. Yet, the album's lead single and homage to 1987 European pop, "Vulture", is another example of needing to tone it down a bit. The swelling synths and layers of vocals are carbon copies of tracks like "Bloodbeat" and "The Childcatcher", which we released on his 2004 debut Lycanthropy. He's been there, done it, and moved on three albums later. Using the same retro tactics to rile us up five years later is disappointing. Part of what makes Wolf so interesting to follow is watching him build on what works and discarding what doesn't. Much of his debut's charm came from his youthful passion, but what often derailed it were lyrics that were too blunt and simple. In the following albums he learned how to balance a clever metaphor with a direct line. He tried new sounds but stayed firmly planted in his hybrid of electronic and acoustic songs. That's why any rehash of his less successful material feels like a letdown, even if the song isn't bad and probably would've been a good fit for the debut. Mildly disappointing tracks aside, we're still left with 12 other strong songs and an album that gels as a whole. Even with a formulaic arrangement, The Bachelor succeeds because Wolf knows how to work within the template he's created. If you're a fan, you probably don't mind the familiar arc. If you're new to his work, you're probably impressed with the result. Either way, this meditation on loneliness is a dark journey, but it's worthwhile. And it leaves me eager to hear what he has to say in the second installment. Check Out: Buy: The Bachelor]]> 90 http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/album-review-patrick-wolf-the-bachelor/feed/ 1 Patrick Wolf celebrates The Bachelor with U.S. tour http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/patrick-wolf-celebrates-the-bachelor-with-us-tour/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/patrick-wolf-celebrates-the-bachelor-with-us-tour/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 13:05:47 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=14899 Quickly taking advantage of its newest signing, NYLON Records has announced that Mr. Bachelor himself, Patrick Wolf, will be headlining the label’s second annual summer tour. The trek, which kicks off on June 5th in Seattle, Washington, will see the London based musician support his fan-financed, guest-heavy, super-spooky upcoming first of two new studio albums, The Bachelor, with fellow NYLON compadres Living Things, Plastiscines, and Jaguar Love. For some reasons, hosts will also be included, with Cory Kennedy and Peaches Geldof performing the honors. All that’s missing are the fans, which you can change by clicking here.

Patrick Wolf 2009 Tour Dates:
05/15 – Northampton, UK @ Roadmender
05/16 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape
05/18 – Portsmouth, UK @ Wedgewood Rooms
05/19 – Oxford, UK @ O2 Academy
05/20 – Leeds, UK @ Cockpit
05/22 – Liverpool, UK @ Stanley Theatre
05/23 – Bristol, UK @ Dot To Do Festival
05/24 – Nottingham, UK @ Dot To Do Festival
05/25 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy
05/27 – Norwich, UK @ Waterfront
05/28 – Sheffield, UK @ Leadmill
05/29 – Glasgow, UK @ Classic Grand
05/31 – Manchester, UK @ Ritz
06/01 – London, UK @ Electric Ballroom
06/05 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon *^#
06/06 – Vancouver, BC @ Richard on Richards *^#
06/08 – San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s *^#
06/09 – Hollywood, CA @ The Roxy *^#
06/12 – Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater *^#
06/14 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe *^#
06/15 – Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge *^#
06/17 – Toronto, ON @ Mod Club *^#
06/19 – Buffalo, NY @ Tralf Music Hall *^#
06/20 – Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar *^#
06/21 – Boston, MA @ Middle East Downstairs *^#
06/23 – New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom *^#
06/24 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel *^#
06/26 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle *^#
06/27 – Atlanta, GA @ The Loft *^#
06/30 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre *^#
07/01 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s Nightclub *^#
07/19 – Berlin, DE @ Melt! Festival
08/02 – London, UK @ Underage Festival
08/13 – Cologne, DE @ C/O Pop Festival
08/14 – Hamburg, DE @ Dockville Festival
08/15 – Gothenburg, SE @ Way Out West Festival
08/23 – Erfurt, DE @ Highfield Festival

* = w/ Living Things
^ = w/ The Plastiscines
# = w/ Jaguar Love

]]> The Bachelor, with fellow NYLON compadres Living Things, Plastiscines, and Jaguar Love. For some reasons, hosts will also be included, with Cory Kennedy and Peaches Geldof performing the honors. All that's missing are the fans, which you can change by clicking here. Patrick Wolf 2009 Tour Dates: 05/15 - Northampton, UK @ Roadmender 05/16 - Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape 05/18 - Portsmouth, UK @ Wedgewood Rooms 05/19 - Oxford, UK @ O2 Academy 05/20 - Leeds, UK @ Cockpit 05/22 - Liverpool, UK @ Stanley Theatre 05/23 - Bristol, UK @ Dot To Do Festival 05/24 - Nottingham, UK @ Dot To Do Festival 05/25 - Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy 05/27 - Norwich, UK @ Waterfront 05/28 - Sheffield, UK @ Leadmill 05/29 - Glasgow, UK @ Classic Grand 05/31 - Manchester, UK @ Ritz 06/01 - London, UK @ Electric Ballroom 06/05 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon *^# 06/06 - Vancouver, BC @ Richard on Richards *^# 06/08 - San Francisco, CA @ Slim's *^# 06/09 - Hollywood, CA @ The Roxy *^# 06/12 - Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater *^# 06/14 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe *^# 06/15 - Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge *^# 06/17 - Toronto, ON @ Mod Club *^# 06/19 - Buffalo, NY @ Tralf Music Hall *^# 06/20 - Philadelphia, PA @ North Star Bar *^# 06/21 - Boston, MA @ Middle East Downstairs *^# 06/23 - New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom *^# 06/24 - Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel *^# 06/26 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle *^# 06/27 - Atlanta, GA @ The Loft *^# 06/30 - Dallas, TX @ Granada Theatre *^# 07/01 - Austin, TX @ Antone's Nightclub *^# 07/19 - Berlin, DE @ Melt! Festival 08/02 - London, UK @ Underage Festival 08/13 - Cologne, DE @ C/O Pop Festival 08/14 - Hamburg, DE @ Dockville Festival 08/15 - Gothenburg, SE @ Way Out West Festival 08/23 - Erfurt, DE @ Highfield Festival * = w/ Living Things ^ = w/ The Plastiscines # = w/ Jaguar Love]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/patrick-wolf-celebrates-the-bachelor-with-us-tour/feed/ 0 Patrick Wolf turns Battle into The Bachelor http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/patrick-wolf-turns-battle-into-the-bachelor/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/patrick-wolf-turns-battle-into-the-bachelor/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 13:05:00 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=14775 It hard to be confident about any investment these days. Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Mick Jagger all can probably tell you that. But it looks like more than a few folks had enough confidence to invest in the return of the one and only Patrick Wolf. How do we know? The English singer/songwriter is currently gearing up for for not one, but two not studio albums.

To be fair, all Wolf did was take Battle, an originally planned double album, and split it up into two single efforts. But because, as we noted back in December, Wolfe implored fans to help him finance the recording of his new material, something which actually appeared to work, the genius of the idea remains.

Anyhow, back to the actually details: The first of the two releases, a 14-track effort entitled The Bachelor, will officially be unveiled digitally via iTunes on June 2nd and physically via Nylon Records on August 11st. The album sports a freaky album cover and lots of guests, including Alec Empire, Tilda Swinton, Eliza Carthy, and Matthew Herbert. Oh, and if you take stock in snippets, like the recently shelled out promotional video for single #1, “Vulture”, well, prepare yourself for yet another synth-friendly ’09 release.

The second of the two albums, titled The Conqueror, is due for release early next year.

The Bachelor Tracklist:
01. Kriegspiel
02. Hard Times
03. Oblivion
04. The Bachelor
05. Damaris
06. Thickets
07. Count the Casualty
08. Who Will
09. Vulture
10. Blackdown
11. The Sun Is Often Out
12. Theseus
13. Battle
14. The Messenger

]]> Battle, an originally planned double album, and split it up into two single efforts. But because, as we noted back in December, Wolfe implored fans to help him finance the recording of his new material, something which actually appeared to work, the genius of the idea remains. Anyhow, back to the actually details: The first of the two releases, a 14-track effort entitled The Bachelor, will officially be unveiled digitally via iTunes on June 2nd and physically via Nylon Records on August 11st. The album sports a freaky album cover and lots of guests, including Alec Empire, Tilda Swinton, Eliza Carthy, and Matthew Herbert. Oh, and if you take stock in snippets, like the recently shelled out promotional video for single #1, "Vulture", well, prepare yourself for yet another synth-friendly '09 release. [youtube Sc6OdeZAOgw] The second of the two albums, titled The Conqueror, is due for release early next year. The Bachelor Tracklist: 01. Kriegspiel 02. Hard Times 03. Oblivion 04. The Bachelor 05. Damaris 06. Thickets 07. Count the Casualty 08. Who Will 09. Vulture 10. Blackdown 11. The Sun Is Often Out 12. Theseus 13. Battle 14. The Messenger]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/patrick-wolf-turns-battle-into-the-bachelor/feed/ 3