This musician I have been talking about
Jul. 25th, 2009 06:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eustaciavye77Two of this years fic bits were inspired by Patrick Wolf songs, specifically songs off his most recent album, The Bachelor. I gush about him all the time. I'm going to attempt to write something analytical here.
What's interesting about Patrick's career so far is that because he began as a songwriter at such a young age, its possible to listen to his albums in chronological order and "watch" him grow up. His first album, Lycathropy, is full of rapid change and rebellion. It was written for the most part between the ages of 14 and 18. A few songs on this album are about rapid transformation, a few about running away or separating. There is a sense throughout the lyrics of someone young trying to make sense of the world without the filter of mom and dad to simplify the process. His second album which was written during the 2-3 years following Lycanthropy is more subtle musically. In "Wind In The Wires" Patrick touches on bits of mythology, making more of a connection to the world that existed before him. This CAN be seen as mirroring the process by which a young adult begins to understand themselves in a greater context, moving out of being self-focused. Or I could be full of shit. I'm a therapist though so we'll go with the psychological interpretation. Anyway there's lyrics to back me up so NYAH. On his third album "The Magic Position" Patrick made a conscious effort to distance himself from the use of minor keys which are associated with a more "angsty" sound and make something that was, as he said "full of color." I am reminded of the stage just after adolescence where a young person becomes ableto view the world as a potential ally rather than something which is out to destroy them. This album also focuses heavily on first love, self-love, and surviving loss. Finally on this fourth album "The Bachelor", Patrick covers a huge range of subjects from the political to the personal; his father's illness, his relationship with his childhood home, how he got sucked in and spat out by fame and its trappings. It ends with him establishing that he has grown into a happier more fulfilled person in spite, or perhaps because of, his difficult circumstances. I like all his albums but the 4th is the best hands down and I think his increasing maturity has everything to do with that.
The fifth album is due out any time now! I can't wait.
http://www.blogathon.org/pledge.php?blogid=69 pleeeeease sponsor me. Been stuck at $416 for a while
What's interesting about Patrick's career so far is that because he began as a songwriter at such a young age, its possible to listen to his albums in chronological order and "watch" him grow up. His first album, Lycathropy, is full of rapid change and rebellion. It was written for the most part between the ages of 14 and 18. A few songs on this album are about rapid transformation, a few about running away or separating. There is a sense throughout the lyrics of someone young trying to make sense of the world without the filter of mom and dad to simplify the process. His second album which was written during the 2-3 years following Lycanthropy is more subtle musically. In "Wind In The Wires" Patrick touches on bits of mythology, making more of a connection to the world that existed before him. This CAN be seen as mirroring the process by which a young adult begins to understand themselves in a greater context, moving out of being self-focused. Or I could be full of shit. I'm a therapist though so we'll go with the psychological interpretation. Anyway there's lyrics to back me up so NYAH. On his third album "The Magic Position" Patrick made a conscious effort to distance himself from the use of minor keys which are associated with a more "angsty" sound and make something that was, as he said "full of color." I am reminded of the stage just after adolescence where a young person becomes ableto view the world as a potential ally rather than something which is out to destroy them. This album also focuses heavily on first love, self-love, and surviving loss. Finally on this fourth album "The Bachelor", Patrick covers a huge range of subjects from the political to the personal; his father's illness, his relationship with his childhood home, how he got sucked in and spat out by fame and its trappings. It ends with him establishing that he has grown into a happier more fulfilled person in spite, or perhaps because of, his difficult circumstances. I like all his albums but the 4th is the best hands down and I think his increasing maturity has everything to do with that.
The fifth album is due out any time now! I can't wait.
http://www.blogathon.org/pledge.php?blogid=69 pleeeeease sponsor me. Been stuck at $416 for a while
