tisdag 30 Jan 2007, 16:48

The Magic Position
Alternative/Pop/Folktronica

http://static.last.fm/proposedimages/original/6/1166314/345427.jpg

Patrick Wolf has come a long way. Leaving his South London home at 16, his turbulent teenage years allowed his unique musical concepts to develop beyond his juvenile experimentation on violin, organ and tape-recorder. Metaphorically maturing from a cub to a wolf, Patrick additionally mastered the harp, harpsichord, guitar, piano, autoharp, Theremin, ukulele and viola. Over time, his voice also acquired a powerful, yet unsettling quality. As expected, he landed a record deal and released his highly-successful first album at the tender age of 19.

It therefore comes as no surprise that his third album, featuring guest vocals by Marianne Faithfull and Edward Larrikin, is as breathtakingly creative as his two preceding records. The first single to be lifted, ‘Accident & Emergency’, was released in late 2006, and flawlessly illustrates Patrick’s inventive flair for song-writing. The harmonious riff is decorated with dissonance which as a result produces an agreeable fuse of electronica and folk. Other highlights include: ‘Magpie’, a disconcerting balance of elegant vocals and atmospheric violin playing, ‘Augustine’, which boasts lyrics that are both captivating and tuneful, and the forthcoming single ‘Bluebells’, which incorporates Wolf’s trademark piano chords amid a pulsating bass.

People of late fail to appreciate the quirky and whimsical; however in all honesty would they be able to count on two hands the sum of artists that have released three remarkable albums by the age of 23?

The Magic Position is an exceptional and thrilling work of genius. Patrick Wolf is untouchable, and yet again, he delivers.

"I feel like I'm getting near to perfecting the language I was born to communicate in” - Patrick Wolf