Song Stories: Wolf Alice: Bloom Baby Bloom

The gap between 'Blue Weekend' and 'Bloom Baby Bloom' was four years, and like many other Wolf Alice fans, I guess I was a little worried. 'Blue Weekend' is in simple terms a masterpiece, and following it up would be a difficult task. 

However, I was underestimating Ellie, Joff, Joel and Theo. They are a band content with complacency and staying still, every step has seen the band elevate themselves, the members remain the same but the ideas change. As do the bands ambitions. Every record saw the band do something new, 2017's 'Visions of a Life' added a shoegazy fuzz to their indie roots, where 2021's 'Blue Weekend' added a golden cinematic glow to their sound. 

'Bloom Baby Bloom' is the bands most bombastic effort to date though, the first sounds of album number four 'The Clearing' and it's electrifying. Written in Seven Sisters and recorded in LA with Greg Kurstin, 'Bloom Baby Bloom' is comfortably the bands most ambitious track to date.

The ambition is evident from the very first note to Ellie’s final breath, this is not a band holding anything back. Drawing from a vast palette of sounds, the track is full of beautiful little flourishes that give each member a moment to shine.

Ellie’s vocals are warm and rich one moment, then raspy and raw the next. The transitions are seamless; her voice leads the song with remarkable ease, shifting its mood, texture, and dynamic throughout. It’s a stunning performance that heightens the song’s emotional weight. When she sings, “Fucking baby, baby man” in the first verse, the word “fuck” escapes like a great, exhausted sigh, before she slips effortlessly into a tremulous falsetto. Later, when she admits she’s “so sick and tired of trying to play it hard,” she somehow turns utter frustration into something transcendent.

Joff Oddie’s brief, twiddling guitar solo fits perfectly — never intrusive, it complements Ellie’s vocal beautifully. A sharp burst of drums introduces yet another shift, while Theo Ellis’ bassline anchors everything with subtle power. The entire song is a perfect snapshot of what makes Wolf Alice so exceptional. It captures their cosmic evolution since the release of their 2015 debut album, 'My Love Is Cool'.

This feels like Wolf Alice’s most significant release to date. Not only is it an exceptional track, but it also marks their first new music in four years and their debut release on a major label. Having parted ways with Dirty Hit, the band are now signed to RCA, signalling a bold new chapter.

It’s a landmark moment for Ellie Rowsell in particular. Speaking about the track, she said:

“I wanted a rock song; to focus on the performance element of a rock song, and sing like Axl Rose, but to be singing a song about being a woman. I’ve used the guitar as a shield in the past, and playing it has perhaps been some way to reject the ‘girl singer in band’ trope. But I wanted to focus on my voice as a rock instrument, so it’s been freeing to put the guitar down and reach a point where I don’t feel like I need to prove that I’m a musician.”

It’s shaping up to be a huge year for Wolf Alice. Their new album, The Clearing, is set for release in August, followed by an arena tour in the autumn. In a press release, the album was described as "a classic pop/rock album," drawing from 1970s influences while remaining "rooted firmly in the present." If 'Bloom Baby Bloom' is anything to go by, it promises to be something special.

There’s an unshakeable confidence radiating from the band right now and that’s only a good thing. This isn’t just a comeback; it’s the beginning of a new era, one that could well be their most defining yet. It sounds like they’ve truly found their voice, their vision, and crucially, complete control over it.

Wolf Alice have evolved with every release, and an arena tour feels like the natural next step. Why shouldn’t they be playing some of the country’s biggest venues? They’ve got the songs, the presence, and now, the belief. It’s a great time to be a Wolf Alice fan.