by Abigail Hall

Wolf Alice, a familiar name for fans of the indie-rock genre. 

The band is made up of lead vocalist Ellie Rowsell, guitarist Joff Oddie, drummer Joel Amey, and bassist Theo Ellis. They started as an acoustic duo in London around 2010, consisting of Rowsell and Oddie, but Amey and Ellis joined in 2012.

 Since then, they have released four albums; their newest release, titled “The Clearing,” came out in 2025. However, one album of theirs has remained a favorite among their fans: “Blue Weekend.”

Released in 2021, the album explores themes of love, heartbreak, past experiences, and new places, all wrapped up in 11 songs lasting 40 minutes combined. 

It opens with Track 1 named “The Beach.” The song begins with a faint guitar solo and references Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which sets a tone of impending drama and questions like “When will we meet again?” 

The song then gradually fades into a verse voicing Rowsell’s frustration with inconsistent relationships that involve a push-and-pull trope, speaking of her experiences with trying to keep her friendships without ego. “We don’t need to battle, and we both shall win.”

Following right after is Track 2: “Delicious Things.” This song features heavy themes involving the disillusionment of fame and the feeling of being alone in a big city such as Los Angeles, describing Rowsell’s experiences with trying to fit in with the superficial crowd while also wondering where she truly belongs. “I don’t belong here, though it really is quite fun here.”

The band covers the heavy themes with a catchy beat, featuring a lot of building drums and dreamy bass guitar, accompanied by Rowsell’s ethereally wistful vocalizing. 

The track fades out with a hazy, pensive repetition of a lyric describing the underlying theme, filling listeners with a sense of existential dread. “Don’t lose sight.”

One of the most meaningful songs on the record is Track 6, a heartfelt plea for happiness, titled “How Can I Make It Ok?”

The song features lyrics about trying to heal ourselves and the people closest to us, using a memorable rhythm and beat to get the point across. The whole album has an underlying sense of love, whether platonic or romantic, but especially this song. The music slowly builds from an anxious-sounding introduction to an almost desperate, angry ending, which symbolizes the growth of a selfless love. 

With lyrics such as “How can I make it okay? Nothing else is as important as that to me.” and “How do we sell you the world?” the band makes it clear that they are so desperate for a close friend or significant other’s happiness that they would do just about anything, something that can resonate with people all over the world.

The album closes out with “The Beach II,” a sort of sequel to the opening number, which ties the record together in a perfect ending. 

The track opens with a contrasting introduction to its predecessor, a breezy, lighthearted combination of string instruments. Unlike the themes of anxiety in previous songs from the album, “The Beach II” focuses more on closure and acceptance of the life we’re living. Through the lyrics and the softer melodies, it offers a sense of peace and solace in our friendships, rather than trying to keep hold of the stressful, contradicting experiences going on around us.

With the final lyrics being “Happy ever after” and “It’s okay,” the song closes out the album on a lighter, happier note, giving the listener a respite from the heavy heartedness laced in all the tracks.

Wolf Alice, the band as a whole, leaves listeners with a sense of fulfillment after ending the record. Their distinct, memorable style influences their fans greatly, whether they realize it or not.

Don’t lose sight.