Opening up a new chapter for the four-piece, the record built on everything they’d achieved so far as a band and truly solidified the start of their resurgence in a new era.
Well received by critics and fans, ‘The Clearing’ has since been nominated for the 2025 Mercury Prize, making it the band’s fourth nomination. Taking to Spotify’s award-winning Mateo Studio in Los Angeles, Wolf Alice have now released dreamy live performances of album tracks ‘Midnight Song’ and ‘Play It Out’, as part of their Spotify Live Room session.
‘Play It Out’, a song that explores the pressures of ageing and women’s biological clocks, starts delicately with Ellie Rowsell’s soft yet subtly raspy vocals self-accompanied on piano. An intimate start gradually introduces the rest of the band, alongside an accompaniment of strings that completely elevates the performance.
As intensity builds, all instruments marry together to establish a cinematic and authentic atmosphere that still allows the lyrics to remain at the forefront of the track. You can feel Rowsell let go towards the end of the song, with a grittiness to her voice that wonderfully contrasts with the orchestral feel of the arrangement. It’s a cathartic yet personal performance that perfectly reflects the message of the song.
The band also kept the same energy going with their performance of ‘Midnight Song’, where vocals immediately take centre stage again. Complemented by gentle percussion and a warm arrangement of strings, the original song is completely amplified with a slight theatrical flair that Wolf Alice knows how to facilitate.
For anyone sceptical about the band’s latest album, these live performances truly establish their sound. Currently on tour across multiple countries, if these Spotify sessions are anything to go by, fans are in for a treat.
Emily McIntyre
Image: Rachel Fleminger Hudson