Patrick Wolf's recent tour of America has left him concerned. The British singer/songwriter revealed to NME that his travels in the U.S. have brought him to write an album that's political in nature.

This is an interesting turn into reality for the fantastical songwriter, whose third album, The Magic Position, was just released Stateside in May.
It's a turn Wolf himself confesses to be unexpected.

Wolf in recent interviews has also said he plans to collaborate with Alec Empire on the disc, which could be a double album tentativly titled Hard Times. The singer says he hopes to have the new album out by spring 2008.

Patrick Wolf - Live, May 16th 2007
The Troubadour, West Hollywood, CA

It’d been 4 long years since Patrick Wolf last played Los Angeles when the young British singer/songwriter made his way onto the stage Wednesday night at the city’s landmark venue, The Troubadour. Wolf reminisced from stage, “The last time I played Los Angeles, I was only 19 with no visa…and just a ukulele.” The singer relayed his troubles being an underage performer at his previously sole LA show (at the Silverlake venue Spaceland), saying “I wasn’t even old enough to stay in the venue after I played.”

In the time since his 2003 US tour supporting his debut album, Lycanthropy, Wolf has done more than pass legal drinking-age. He’s released 3 solid albums, each with stylistic shifts in sound and aesthetic, and each consecutively better than the previous. 2005’s Wind In The Wires relied less on electronic experimentation than Lycanthropy. His most recent release, The Magic Position sees him move away from the maudlin cliff-top balladry of Wires into pop-bombast with glittery swagger that comes off just a little more Jobriath than Ziggy Stardust.

Though a comparison of young Patrick’s trajectory to that of an early Bowie, would not be that far off. The amount of great tunes in his already large catalog (he also has a hefty amount of quality B-Sides) is so staggering, it made his Wednesday night’s setlist seem like a greatest hits retrospective. For many in the audience who had already been longtime fans, this was their first experience with the singer live. So the announcement of songs such as “The Libertine” and “Bloodbeat” were met with exuberant cheers. Dressed like a cross between Klaus Nomi and Raggedy Andy in a couture ruffled blue gingham shirt, red suspenders, short-shorts, and glam-rock make-up, Wolf campily played up his new Pop-Star-From-Another-World incarnation. His outfit selection seemed to have come from the same magic wardrobe that the characters in his songs do.

However, nothing could distract from Wolf’s vocal chops. The singer hit backbone-chilling notes in his performance of Magic Position opener, “Overture. ” Later, Wolf hit arm-hair raising highs again during a brief accapella reading of Joni Mitchell’s anti-war ballad “The Fiddle and the Drum, “ while dramatically brandishing a plastic rifle.

Jumping between electric piano, ukulele, violin, and bouts of unhinged dancing, Wolf worked himself into a sweat, eventually ditching the overbearing ruffled shirt for a bare chest and R-rated hand-dips into his shorts. The tone was now set for the LA debut of the newly-penned “Blackbird,” a sexed-up future-disco track with a Timbaland-esque beat. Wolf bounced in time with the rolling and stuttering beat, eventually incorporating a few lines of Justin Timberlake’s “Sexy Back, ” - but seemingly more as a challenge to Mr. Timberlake than an homage.

From his performance at The Troubadour, one could summate that Wolf most definitely aims to be a pop star. But he’s not playing by the current pop rulebook. Wolf seeks to infiltrate the pop world on his own terms, remaining an unpredictable and imaginative chameleon. He’s just at the beginning of what will likely be a long and fruitful career, whether the charts follow or not.

Will the U.S. embrace his brand of unusual pop in large numbers? One cannot be sure - would Simon Cowell send him on to Hollywood?

Ridiculously talented singer/songwriter Patrick Wolf has a penchant for drama. His music is bathed in it as are his live shows and it is reflected in his wardrobe, ever-changing hair colors and growing rap-sheet.

Dude's just a rebel.

So, it's no surprise Wolf would feel an affinity for a fellow drama queen, like Brit-soul belter Amy Winehouse, even if their musical styles differ greatly. The two troublemakers will pair up for a seven-show run on the last leg of Winehouse's North American tour. Wolf will join the tour on May 2nd, the day after his third full-length, The Magic Position, sees its Stateside release.

Will they duet? It's bound to be better than Patrick's recent forced duet with Charlotte Church (WTF?!).

After a small break, Winehouse's tour starts again on April 26th with a sold-out appearance in San Francisco with Klaxons. On the 27th, she'll take the stage at Coachella. Wolf will announce further U.S. dates in the coming weeks.

Winehouse/Wolf Tour Dates:

Recommended Viewing:
Patrick discusses his music and the various drama of his life.

Amy discusses her music and various drama.

Patrick Wolf's third album, The Magic Position, will see a Stateside release this spring. The English singer/songwriter is signed to Low Altitude/Universal in the U.S., and, according to Low Altitude's website, Position will hit shelves on April 17th (although, Pitchfork is curiously reporting May 1st).

As previously reported, The UK will get the Magic first with the LP's release there, slated for February 26th. Wolf's third UK single from Position, the album's title track, will be released on March 26th.

Patrick is currently on tour in the UK and U.S. dates are in-the-works for summer.

UK Tour Dates:

Further Reading:
The review of The Magic Position on SG's Newswire

Recommended Viewing:
Patrick Wolf performing the track "Tristan", from 2005's Wind In The Wires. The video is a little shaky and the quality is not the best, but the performance is extra special.

Patrick Wolf is poised to stand along side Kate Bush, Bjork and David Bowie in a pantheon of other-worldly and original musicians with the release of his eagerly awaited third full-length LP, The Magic Position, in late February. Wolf certainly nods to all three of these artists on TMP with Bush-style phrasing on "Augustine," the Bjork-like music box twinkle of "The Stars," and the red hair and sequined costumes of his new Ziggy Stardust-with-a-Disco-Spin aesthetic. However noticeable these influences are, Wolf's transporting and warmed honey voice (most likely a well-oiled machine after several years of touring) in combination with his storytelling and fearlessly joyful yet experimental pop expression makes the album a unique achievement and his first masterpiece. The album opens with the galloping percussion and sweeping violins of "Overture" where Wolf asks the listener to let some "light" into themselves, and then swoops in to offer said light on the sixties girl group-inspired title track,

Wolf successfully prepares the listener for the journey that is the The Magic Position on this one-two punch, just before hitting full throttle with the jubilant first single "Accident & Emergency," a celebration of life lived headlong featuring sampled sirens, the vocal talents of Ed Larrikin (of up-and-coming British band Larrikin Love), and what sounds like a children’s chorus in a blender. Elsewhere, we are treated with Wolf's most unapologetic pop song ever, "Get Lost," an ode to being young, broke and in love.

As one might know, there is no light without a little darkness and Wolf delivers it with a resplendent trio of songs (the bursting fireworks and "Chariots of fire"-piano of "Bluebells," the ghostly "Magpie," and the soaring "Augustine"), which serve as the album's centerpieces. "Magpie" is the true center and features the inimitable Marianne Faithfull as the titular bird, dueting with Wolf amongst a crying violin and shimmering piano. Wolf uses Faithfull's haunting voice to deliver the words of wisdom to the song's "little lost boys" with great effect and her performance makes it the album's standout track.

With The Magic Position, Patrick Wolf has made a classic and sublime pop album that truly sends the listener to his magical world, a feat very few male artists are able to accomplish in the pop realm.



Pre-order The Magic Position here.

Recommended Viewing:
The video for The Magic Position's second single, "Bluebells".

Singer/Songwriter, newly-red haired Patrick Wolf, is ready to release the second single from his forthcoming third LP, The Magic Position. According to a posting today by Patrick himself, on his Myspace page, the single is "Bluebells" and its on track for it's previously reported December street date. Patrick also reveals he is in pre-production for the single's video and his plans for a WORLD tour following The Magic Position's release (featuring collaborations with Ed Larrikin of Larrikin Love and Marianne Faithfull) in February 2007. Wolf is now signed to Polydor-imprint Loog Records whose catalog includes releases by The Bravery, The Horrors, and Giant Drag. Wolf recently played with a seven piece band (including his sister, Jo Apps) on a session for BBC's Channel 4 in support of his recently released single, "Accident & Emergency". Check out a clip of Patrick performing "Bluebells" from the session below:



Recommended Listening:

Patrick Wolf Accident & Emergency
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