- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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Jun 20, 2011The fact that Wolf stands little chance of displacing Rihanna or Adele shouldn't preempt our appreciation of what he's accomplished with this album, which is to shake off his unseemly solipsism and turn out his most catchy and engaging batch of songs in one concise effort.
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Jun 10, 2011Listening to the joyous simplicity inherent in the album's mood, you get the feeling that love, for all its pitfalls, really is the simplest thing in the world to feel; you need only to be inside your house, the city without, the falcons overhead, the days stretching off into the future, and listen.
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Dec 9, 2011Lupercalia's highly melodic but still resolutely exuberant nature indicates that Wolf's newfound positive outlook on life definitely seems to suit him.
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Jun 20, 2011On his fifth album, he seizes the mainstream jugular with a lushly romantic, brightly orchestrated and delightfully optimistic collection of epic love songs.
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Jun 20, 2011It was a coming together of people and community, and it's therefore fitting that Lupercalia the album is a celebration too.
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Jun 20, 2011The perfect soundtrack for early summer, and all the possibilities it holds.
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Jun 16, 2011It wouldn't be a Patrick Wolf album without the occasional venture over the top, and it's a hard heart that wouldn't forgive the occasional lapse in the face of a charm offensive so strong. Happiness suits him: you can only hope the British public agree.
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Jun 9, 2011The fabric of the songs seems imbued with joy, and it's testament to the quality of the songwriting that you don't feel alienated by what are incredibly personal lyrics. It's an all-inclusive love in, basically, and all the better for it.
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Q MagazineJun 7, 2011It might not be new, but Wolf's delicate delivery ensures that it's never anything anything less than irresistibly romantic. [Jun 2011, p125]
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Jun 20, 2011Fans may miss Wolf's habitual genre-hopping and eccentricity, but this is mature and compelling stuff. His best so far.
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Jun 16, 2011It might tend more towards solid songwriting than reinvention, and might not quite reach the heights of lunatic brilliance of its predecessor, but as far as most people's dream of what a proper pop album should be, Lupercalia certainly comes closer than most.
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Jun 27, 2011In the end Lupercalia feels like a summer fling, and why settle for that when you can have something perennial?
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Jun 24, 2011Though for him this may seem to be a progress toward honesty and wholeness, for the listener the benefits are not so clear.
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Jun 24, 2011Lupercalia, despite its flaws, does provide a satisfying sense of closure. Now, hopefully, Patrick Wolf will be able to graduate onto subjects other than himself (and an attempt to do a full-on disco record would not go amiss either).
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Jun 16, 2011Originally planned as the second half of a double-album, Lupercalia is his most approachable effort.
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Jun 13, 2011While he succeeds fairly well at ensuring that Lupercalia spends its every minute displaying his emotions on its sleeve, it's fairly safe to say that this record won't exactly storm the charts.
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UncutJun 7, 2011Despite Wolf's best efforts, he's not built for homely pleasures--and you sense his need for drama straining at the leash. [Jun 2011, p.103]
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MojoJun 7, 2011It's still high camp stuff, but Wolf's world suddenly seems like a more welcoming place. [Jun 2011, p.97]
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Jun 7, 2011During Lupercalia's first half, he continues to prove himself a fine craftsman of major-key melodies, and this is his most confident and convicted vocal performance yet. But like most of Wolf's records, he eventually gives into sad songs and waltzes as Lupercalia progresses, and studded with the same overproduction tricks of cluttered strings and processed samples, "The Days" and "Slow Motion" don't offer much in the way of contrast outside of tempo.