Album Review: The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law

The opening two tracks should come as no surprise to The Joy Formidable faithful as ‘This Is Our Ladder’ and ‘Cholla’ were both singles last year. What may have struck them, though, was how much more refined their sound has become. On the flip side, there’s also evidence of it being a lot bolder. Opening with the dramatic string intro of ‘This Is Our Ladder’, it is not long until the bruising riffs of the lead track, and then ‘Cholla’, make a firm statement of intent.

‘Tendons’, described by Ritzy as ”…a very peculiar, fucking love song“, is the first unreleased track and it gives us an insight into Bryan and Dafydd’s propinquity.  This ‘love song’ has one of the biggest beasts of a bass line that you’ve likely ever heard. The atmospheric soundscape backdrop returns to the fray to compliment Ritzy’s wonderful wispy vocals but with more subtlety, aptitude and style than we’ve heard from them before. Another boldly brilliant bass riff and kick pedal attack commence ‘Little Blimp’ before we’re treated to a melody that’s every bit as good as those of the two singles. The album then takes some time to inhale a beautiful breath after the distorted drive of ‘Bats’, along with the warm intricate acoustic accompaniment that is ‘Silent Treatment’. It is the first track that captures the harmonious affinity of this album; affirming the belief that The Big Roar was a more emotionally charged record, deep-seated by difficult spells in their personal lives with Ritzy’s parents going through a long-drawn-out divorce and the loss of close friends and family.

The capsheaf, however, is undoubtedly the fire-eating ‘Maw Maw Song’; a complete barnburner that will leave you frothing from the maw to catch it live. Opening peacefully with an alluring harp it draws you in, and within seconds your ears are under siege with a ridiculous assemblage of vocal ‘Maw’s’ that should never usually work, and that’s almost the artistry of it. What does make it work is that, although it is just under seven minutes long, the structuring is superb; from the driving rhythm section on the unexpected verse right through to the fret-board heroics at the apex of this arena anthem. When ‘Forest Serenade’ holds up without a problem against the former you immediately know that what we have is a consistent album where the real strengths are in the song-writing.

Kenyan female activist, Wangari Maathai is Ritzy’s muse for ‘The Leopard and the Lung’. It is another six minute champion and precedes an equally strong track, ‘The Hurdle’, as the album reaches its climax. The dramatic strings return to the fold for the finale on ‘The Turnaround’ and it presents something we have never heard in any prior material from The Joy Formidable, thus it offers something uniquely special. Reflecting on the loss of her Grandfather, it is both emotional and expressive and, although it is not something we’re likely to hear too much of, it is perfectly suited to the band’s style.

Some fans have concerns that title track ‘Wolf’s Law’, another release before the album, may not have made the final cut. We can confirm however that it will make an appearance: it just won’t be on the track listing; it finds a place neatly for what it means to the album as an entirety. The stunning film released with the title track depicts images of birth, death and the natural world, which according to Rhydian, “…encapsulates the themes of the album“. Whatever the themes are, what we have is a powerful, accessible and a more infectious, nuanced affair, and ultimately a great alternative rock record to boot.

 Wolf’s Law will be available from January 21, 2013. Follow the link to pre-order.