Ellie Rowsell on the songwriter “who can’t seem to do anything wrong”
Between Arctic Monkeys and Alvvays, Foals and Foster the People, and Two Door Cinema Club and Tame Impala, indie kids in the 2010s were spoiled for choice. Teenage years were soundtracked by twangy guitars and endlessly documented on Tumblr, endearing the re-listenable and the rebloggable to the online masses. At the forefront of this were Wolf Alice, led by a formidable frontwoman in Ellie Rowsell.
Not quite your average indie band, Wolf Alice found their roots in folk before settling in shoegaze and grunge. Their sound was at once dense and airy, harbouring a nostalgia for decades past but situating itself firmly in the present. Between the enchanting echoes of ‘Bros’ and the gooey romanticism of ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’, Wolf Alice cut through the increasing monotony of the genre and became a staple in the playlists and hearts of indie enthusiasts.
Perhaps the innovation and ingenuity of Wolf Alice stemmed from their own slightly off-kilter inspirations and tastes. Like most guitar bands, Wolf Alice draw from the likes of The Beatles, but their influences extend far beyond the Fab Four. Rowsell and her bandmates have shared their love for a swathe of indie innovators throughout their career, from PJ Harvey to Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Alongside their indie rock predecessors, Rowsell has never held back on praising their contemporary peers. Showing her penchant for experimentation within the indie sphere, the frontwoman has often heaped praise upon one artist in particular – DIY artist turned internet staple Alex G. While picking out her favourite album of 2017 for Drowned In Sound, Rowsell shouted out Superfood before going on to praise Alex G.
“Alex G can’t seem to do anything wrong,” she declared, “Every album he’s put out has been so good.” She’s not wrong. Over a decade on from his debut record, Giannascoli has created a distinctive sonic world and a devoted cult audience. Now, with ten near-perfect albums to his name, each of Giannascoli’s offerings seems to prove his rightful place in the scene further.
The Wolf Alice frontwoman first discovered Giannascoli’s music when someone sent her his sixth record, DSU, which she deemed “the soundtrack to the perfect American indie teen movie” during a conversation with The Guardian. “It makes me feel quite nostalgic for something I’m not even sure I’ve experienced,” she explained.
It’s a description that could just as easily be applied to Rowsell’s own output, so it’s easy to see why she’s such a big fan. While Giannascoli provides the perfect guitar-driven accompaniment for teens in the States, Rowsell’s vocals have found their permanent place. Between their discographies, the two artists could curate an indie teen soundtrack for the ages.
Watch Wolf Alice cover a staple Alex G track below.
