Album of the Week

AGCS have already written about Bandstocks, the innovative system through which Patrick Wolf has financed his new album the Bachelor, and unlike with other reviews I’ve written for this site I’m gonna keep this short. Therefore instead of talking about Wolf’s split with Universal or his touring depression I’ll keep it simple. Patrick Wolf has crafted an almost perfect album.

The album is so consistently good, and works so well as a whole, that to single any tracks out is difficult. The first 4 tracks (following a superfluous 50 second intro) are astounding, and the rest of the album maintains a similar high quality. The inclusion of Battle, the noisiest track on the record, in the middle of the album’s slower final third is questionable, but this is a minor complaint. The Bachelor is a fine record and if it’s counterpart The Conqueror (scheduled for a 2010 release) is as good Wolf will have crafted the best double album since Stadium Arcadium.

(P.S. That was a joke)

9/10

Jed Howlett