PATRICK WOLF: THE BACHELOR

[rating:2]

Patrick Wolf : The Bachelor

Label: 101 Distribution

Release Date: June 2, 2009

Returning with his 4th studio album Patrick Wolf presents his two-part record The Bachelor (Battle One)’.  It is the first of its kind to be publicly funded after a previous record deal fell through.  His fans were asked to come to the rescue and buy stocks in the artist, which then in time be repaid depending on album sales. Risky business, but an interesting concept which gives incentive for the album to mean so much more to the people who contributed to it as well as the artist owing it to the fans.

‘The Bachelor’ is somewhat of an accomplishment on certain fronts; it brings a hint of the new but also a somewhat mature sound.  It culminates every past record that Wolf has made and produces an almost greatest hits album that no one has ever heard before. Featuring collaborations from the ‘The Voice of Hope’ otherwise known as actress Tilda Swinton and folk musician Eliza Carthy, who duets with Wolf on the title track, plus others. There is no shortage of helpful musical heads here to lend a hand and this could serve to  explain that why after several listens its still hard to identify what the album is really trying to tell you. The track listing is a somewhat confusing assortment of fast paced electronic folk mixed songs like ‘Hard Times’ which is a great single but then as you move through the list more meaningful love songs if you like come in to play such as ‘Damaris’ which slows the pace right back down, ‘Blackdown’ is another good example of a song that is clearly about family and coming of age on this roller coaster album of up’s and downs.  However all good songs I just feel that timing and track placement is all wrong.

Don’t get me wrong the album will lead the true die hard fans into another folk fairy tale that only Patrick Wolf is capable of doing.  Certain tracks like the beautiful ‘Thickets’, ‘Who Will’ and ‘Hard Times’ are defiantly the three stand out tracks and can’t be denied their limelight.  However listeners of the ‘Lycanthropy – Wind in The Wires’ era will be left slightly confused and newer members to the fan club that have only ‘The Magic Position’ as their reference will be even more disappointed. This album leaves no room for pop, it’s heavy in deep over cluttered messages perhaps messages that need re-organizing, maybe that’s just me and my over structural ways. Wolf’s voice seems to have lost its charm in most of the songs and the faux-gospel choir’s sound just as silly as Tilda Swinton’s ridiculous ‘The Voice of Hope’ which I feel is unnecessary whenever used.

I want to like, even love this album but I fear that the few songs I do admire are eclipsed by the confusing track listing and structure, poor lyrics and mixed messages that the album sends out.  It’s hard to see this album ever being remembered as anything more than just Patrick Wolf’s 4th album. No new ground has majorly been covered here, he did that with the ‘Magic Position’ and ok yes it was very pop and happy-happy but it worked and is probably his most commercially successful album to date. Being alternative is cool I get it and like it but I just don’t think this album can be identified as that. The formula is just too mixed in this album and for that reason it fails in what all of his past 3 albums succeeded in doing.