Album number five finds Mr. Wolf in particularly ebullient mood. The sequel to 2009’s ‘The Bachelor’, Lupercalia ditches the Alec Empire collaborations and flirtations with rock for a set of heartfelt, anthemic love songs. ‘Armistice’ opens the record on an uncertain note. It’s hushed and lovely, but also weirdly listless. Happily, it’s sequenced next to ‘Bermondsey Street’. Both low-key and BIG, it’s just stunning and sets the tone for a remarkably consistent album. Think Bruce Springsteen with red hair and a Twitter account and you’re there. Fans may miss Wolf’s habitual genre-hopping and eccentricity, but this is mature and compelling stuff. His best so far.
7/10
Words by WILL SALMON
