Lone Wolf, aka Paul Marshall, is a man well versed in adversity. Following his debut ‘The Devil and I’ in 2010, he split with his label, Bella Union; and financial constraints cast considerable doubt as to whether the album which became ‘The Lovers’ would ever see the light of day. At this crucial stage of his career, Marshall put his musical future in the hands of the public.
Debating whether there was significant demand for his next record, he created a Pledgemusic campaign to attempt to launch a new album with the help of his fans. Although he didn’t admit it at the time he later stated that his logic at the time was “if I don’t reach the pledge target I will quit as Lone Wolf and the record won’t come out”.
Luckily, the campaign was a huge success (with the target being reached with 30 days) and thus I am lucky enough to possess a copy of Lone Wolf’s third effort (second under the LW name) ‘The Lovers’. To say that it’s a worth all of the effort would be a gross, gross understatement.
After a short sampled intro, the album drifts in to ‘Spies in My Heart’, a slow burning number focussing on carefully constructed samples and glorious bass hooks. 80’s industrial percussion kicks off ‘The Swans of Meander’, arguably one of the record’s highlights. Marshall’s vocal work is delivered impeccably, switching with seeming ease between the swooning vulnerability on the bridge to an agonised scream on the song’s chorus.
A more up-tempo section of the album commences with the rousing ‘Ghosts of Holloway’. A soloing guitar picks over muted drums and huge layers of sound to create an incredibly detailed track with such a lived in texture. Marshall’s ability to create this complexity without drowning the essence of the tracks, and in fact often making them feel spacious, is a talent which should not be understated. ‘Good Life’ is one of the album’s most instantly accessible tracks; looping around an infectious melody hook that any of pop’s most popular artists would be proud to call their own.
The understated ‘Butterfly’ is a master class in songwriting. An incredibly delicate and slow paced opening bursts to life (would it be too much to make comparisons to butterflies and cocoons?) at 2 minutes 15, erupting into an imposing wall of sound. On the equally excellent ‘Two Good Lives’ Marshall puts in a vocal performance which cements him as one of the voices in independent music right now. With a more stripped back drop of music for him to operate, the entire song focuses around the melody he creates and the quality of the voice which presents it.
The ninth and final (title) track draws the LP to a close in equally minimalist fashion. As with so much of the album it is the subtlety and the spaces between the sounds which are so important; building anticipation and expectation in the listener with every moment of tranquillity, and satisfying every drop of this with every rousing instrumental rise.
On ‘The Lovers’ Lone Wolf has really found a sound that he can call his own; moving away from the folk-tinged “death balladry” which he was known for on his previous records. It’s hard to imagine that he will struggle as much on the release of future records, and if there is any justice he will have a long line of independent label heavyweights vying for his signature. In the mean time, just sit back and enjoy one of the most compelling, innovative and beautiful records of the year.
Released on November 12th through It Never Rains Records.
Posted by Aled Schell.
