REVIEW: Patrick Wolf at The Borderline on 14 Feb
It's Valentines Day and 21 year old Patrick Wolf has no truck with this particular saint's celebration, going so far as saying it's a cursed day. This is something of a surprise though as he gives the impression of being a passionate type. He's like a troubadour from another century singing songs about romantic outsiders; pirates, gypsies, circus girls and libertines. He has the air of a Byronic hero, but with charm and warmth to temper the moodiness. The predominantly young, glamorous audience crane their necks for a better look at the gothy young man with his Sharleen Spiteri style androgynous mop top of black hair.
His unique sound defies categorisation; apart from a general folkiness, there is really no one you could compare him directly with, although one song, the melodramatic 'Tristan', is very reminiscent of 'Infected' era The The. Several tracks from his second album 'Wind In The Wires' use electronic backing but tonight everything is played acoustically. His rich vocals revel in the vivid and poetic lyrics - "When the birds fly south,
I'll reach up and hold their tails," he sings on 'Teignmouth'
(most of the album was written in a cliff top chalet in Cornwall and the songs are riddled with storm tossed sea birds, galleons sailing and other references to the sea). Patrick alternates between sitting at the piano and playing a variety of unusual instruments, a ukulele, a lute, etc. One of the stand out songs is recent single 'The Libertine' which is his take on celebrity culture. Lyrics running 'The Libertine is locked in jail' (who can he mean?) are accompanied by a vibrant jazzy sound. All in all it's a magical spectacle, and given enough exposure Wolf could do for alternative folk what Ryan Adams has done for alt.country.
JW