2015 RETROSPECTIVE - PART 2

LONE WOLF - LODGE

Music and anxiety often go hand in hand, in my experience. There are records in my music library that foster anxiety that I should probably stay away from; there are others I can turn to for sensory or emotional respite from the shakes and the sweats. I had yet to come across a record that encapsulated both responses, until I first heard Lodge by Lone Wolf. 

Faced with the news that much-favoured recording space The Lodge in Bridlington was closing, Paul Marshall booked some studio time and made what would be his final release as Lone Wolf over the course of a few weekends. The result is Lodge, a record that doesn't shrink away from its subject matter. It is a wonderfully sparse record; ever-present piano is joined in turns by unassuming bass, drums and mute trumpets, all of which are complemented by the sound of a room that almost lives and breathes with the music. There is nowhere to hide here; the elephant in the room must be addressed. 

The sound, therefore, sets up the final part of the Lone Wolf journey, with Marshall going from storyteller to confessor over the course of three records. It couldn't be simpler; he has some things to get off his chest, and he'd like to tell you all about it if you'll listen. Gone are the more abstract lyrics and stories from The Devil and I and The Lovers, and in their place are devastating words that have the power to make the listener recoil. The darkness and self-flagellation of anxiety and depression are explored in their entirety on tracks such as 'Give Up', 'Taking Steps' and 'Get Rough' in a way that is difficult to hear, but at the same time absolutely essential. The elephant in the room is being addressed. 

Addressing these issues is difficult but it can pay dividends, and evidence of this is also present on Lodge. 'Art of Letting Go' is the blueprint; it's no guarantee of success, that's down to you, but it sympathises and lends a helping hand. There is something about the end of 'Token Water' that evokes the giddiness that occurs in the aftermath of an anxiety attack ... an oddly specific evocation that is probably no use to anyone reading this but hey, music belongs to its listeners right? 

Tangents aside, Lodge is a stunning record. It says important things quietly; those who choose to listen have their close attentions rewarded exponentially. Louder records may get more accolades but you shouldn't have to shout for your voice to be heard. 

Lone Wolf

2012: TOP TRACKS

Here are my picks for the top ten tracks of 2012, although it's more of a collection than a chart because I am rather loath to order what are all pretty spectacular offerings. Also provided are the accompanying videos in all their (probably) HD glory, ranging from anarchic newsreaders to bedroom fanatics. 

Inhaler – Foals 

You’re Early – 2:54

Echo – Wild Swim

Higher Ground – TNGHT

Gallop – Tall Ships

Hips and Lips – Maximo Park

Ghosts of Holloway – Lone Wolf

Cough Cough – Everything Everything

Arguing With Thermometers – Enter Shikari

The Mother We Share – CHVRCHES

2012: TOP TEN ALBUMS

By now you’ve probably read a fair few end of year pieces reflecting what has been a particularly fast-moving year musically speaking. I cannot possibly claim to round up everything that went down this year, so instead I here present 2012 through my own narrow lens, starting with a rundown of the year’s top ten albums. 

#10: 2:54 – 2:54

Earthy, murky, relentless.

#9: School Of Seven Bells – Ghostory

Soaring, mellow, intricate.

#8: Enter Shikari – A Flash Flood of Colour

Powerful, thought-provoking, DROPS.

#7: Lucy Rose – Like I Used To

Raw, introspective, BEATS.

#6: Two Door Cinema Club – Beacon

Mature, amorous, triumphant.

#5: Jessie Ware – Devotion

Sultry, old-school, irresistible.

#4: Alt-J – An Awesome Wave

Addictive, ingenious, daring. 

#3: The Killers – Battle Born

Expansive, revitalised, nostalgic.

#2: Lone Wolf – The Lovers

Hazy, DIY, personal.

#1: Muse – The 2^nd Law

Indefatigable, intimate, pompous.

ALBUM: LONE WOLF - THE LOVERS

Paul Marshall is very busy at the moment. He is preparing and sending out the many and various items that pledgers all over the world (including yours truly) have purchased in order to fund the release and subsequent touring of new Lone Wolf record The Lovers, a record that he has been slaving over for the past year or so. The pledge campaign was a clear success with the total set by Marshall being met with more than 2 months to spare, so it will be interesting to see if The Lovers is equal to this success.

The initial signs are very encouraging. A spooky intro gives way to ‘Spies In My Heart’, a song that makes a bold statement about the album as a whole. Gone is the folk sound that pervades previous album The Devil and I: here instead our ears find DIY percussion (most of which were sounds recorded by Marshall on his iPhone), a plethora of electronic peaks and troughs, a sound that can be so big and expansive one minute and then shrinking into itself the next. The guitar has not been completely abandoned; it acts as a soothing counterbalance to the thudding drums of ‘The Swan of Meander’ and pops up on the title track, although here it is overshadowed by a beautiful vocal performance, both lyrically and in delivery.

The more you delve into this offering, the more there is to find and delight in. ‘Ghosts of Holloway’ is haunted by the ghost of a long-ago Depeche Mode sound which adds to the track’s irresistible allure, while ‘Butterfly’ can fool you into thinking that you’re catching some rays during the height of summer, before you open your eyes and realise that it’s October and bloody freezing outside. At every turn, this record provides similar moments; carefully constructed walls of noise that can overwhelm and transport the lucky listener.

It is hard to see how any pledger could be disappointed with The Lovers, such is the care and attention put into it. The album is a fantastic advert for the Pledge campaign route, showing that the artist can take control of their medium and connect directly with fans, and Marshall has taken full advantage of this. The non-pledger release of The Lovers is on 12^th November, and quite frankly you’d be a fool to deny yourself this 34-minute slice of joy. 

8/10

Preorder The Lovers here

NEW MUSIC: LONE WOLF - GOOD LIFE

Check it out here

Paul Marshall seems to be on to a good thing here. After a successful pledge campaign to fund the release of forthcoming Lone Wolf album The Lovers, he provided this offering in between writing lyric books and Skype-gigging for some very dedicated fans. It's the perfect teaser for the album; the door into Marshall's masterpiece was already slightly ajar with the release of 'The Swan of Meander' and 'Good Life' gently pushes it open a little bit more, revealing particularly satisfying DIY percussion and simple but effective guitar work. The Lovers is released on November 12th (but if you pledge/have pledged you can get hold of it much earlier).

Lone Wolf
Pledge Campaign