Patrick Wolf, The Bachelor

By Ann Clarke

Just when I didn’t think young musicians had anything left to offer (because they’re all either fake and talentless or just fashion plate hipsturds), along comes Patrick Wolf. Granted he is fashionable, and has done some modeling for Burberry, but he is quite alluring, and it’s nice work if you can get it! (It definitely helps finance some lucrative projects.) I had first heard Patrick by accident when stumbling upon the video for “The Magic Position,” and was immediately totally addicted. I rarely ever seek out a new artist, but there are times when something grabs you by throat and won’t let go until you give in, and with “The Magic Position,” such was the case.

I was surprised how easily hooked I was since I’m always suspicious with newer musical acts; it usually takes about five seconds of listening to their bullshit to decipher how bull-shitty and fake it is. This is not the case with Patrick Wolf. He’s as real as it gets. I also didn’t realize the boy was responsible for all the beautiful bravado that pumped through my stereo speakers until inspecting the liner notes, thus quickly realizing he was a mega-multi-tasker. Those are always my favorite kind of musicians.

Multi-instrumental and prodigy-like, and bold with his thoughts and feelings. . . there’s no bullshit with Patrick Wolf as he is gifted beyond description. He’s completely experimental, but he knows how to tie it all together into something catchy. He can make a lot of noise, but at least he knows what to do with it, instead of these boring noise and drone assholes out there that are just fucking around and acting arrogant. Patrick actually knows how to play every instrument he picks up, and does so with grace and ease!

So needless to say, I couldn’t wait for his new album! So much so, that I bought a share of the album via Bandstocks.com. If you don’t know what Bandstocks is, according to Patrick’s own words, “Basically, you can invest in the finishing of the album and the production of it, and you get a share in the album. So you almost become part of the record company, like a co-owner of the album.”

Patrick left his prior label (due to the fact that they wanted him to make the same album again) so instead of compromising and selling himself short as an artist, he went with the idea of Bandstocks, and sold shares of the album for £10. It’s a very similar concept to what Einstürzende Neubauten established with the Supporter’s project website they started around the year 2000 (and which has undergone many different evolutions since it began).

Not to say that The Magic Position lacks any luster, but I can respect Patrick’s creativity, integrity, and desire for progression. Besides, The Bachelor definitely packs a wallop when it comes to being different from The Magic Position, and I don’t mean that in a negative way; I mean it in the context of knowing there was no way some big-wig exec would allow an artist to actually create anything viable on their watch. Patrick is also getting more eccentric by the second. . .and I don’t think the narrow-minds of the masses can handle someone like him! While The Bachelor is inaccessible when compared to The Magic Position, it’s equally as good. It’s more experimental like his previous works Wind in the Wires and Lycanthropy. The most obvious difference between The Bachelor and Patrick’s older works is the production, which is much cleaner overall and obviously more expensive to stage.

The album starts with a brief overture entitled “Kriegspiel.” It’s probably the most daring piece on the entire album, and includes a screeching crescendo of strings that sound as if they’re being played with a rusty chain. It then segues into the most accessible track, “Hard Times,” which is not only the second single, but also my second favorite track). This song contains a very catchy violin “hook” (as did older songs such as “The Magic Position” and “The Libertine.”). It’s the track on the album that everyone will be able to remember, as it has the most clear-cut pop structure; the only difference is that the lyrics aren’t what you’d call optimistic!

Much of the subject matter of the album tiptoes around mysticism, cynicism, romanticism, and pessimism. Lyrically, it’s obvious that Patrick is at a crossroads with his emotions. One moment you think he’s ready to snuff himself off or become a hermit, while the next you can visualize him being a fluttering social butterfly!

A better way to describe it would be to visualize the soundtrack of a satyr in the woods galloping alone … and then contrast it to The Mudd Club days in NYC mixed with a tinge of the shallowness of party girls and socialites. “Thickets” would be the song of the satyr, and “Vulture” would be the burned-out club kid who can’t relate to any of the morons around him anymore! I mention the satyr because the stories often evoke a sense of Greek mythology (i.e., “Damaris” and “Theseus”), while “Battle” makes me think of the film, Clash of the Titans or 300. In fact, “Battle” is probably my favorite track on the album because it’s really raw and bloody! It’s the beast amongst the beauty, as most of the other songs flow with strings, orchestral percussion, bells, and whistles!

Patrick has a few guests on the album who were rather unexpected, namely the actress Tilda Swinton. She provides narration (“The Voice of Reason”) on “Oblivion,” “Thickets,” and “Theseus.” Alec Empire puts his dark, electronic fingerprints on the tracks “Vulture” and “Battle.” Patrick also coordinated two separate choirs: the Gospel and the Tribe. One is passive, the other aggressive.

So would I recommend this album? It depends on the audience. Open-minded people who can appreciate a ballsy musician who creates from the gut. . . yes, definitely! This record is not going to appeal to everyone, but it should impress those who are looking for something new that contains artistic integrity without being a pretentious pile of shit.

Patrick Wolf will be performing throughout the UK and Europe during the rest of the summer and fall. For more on his music and upcoming shows, check out his Official Site or MySpace page.