Wolf's Law
by The Joy Formidable
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: Jan 22, 2013
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. Q Magazine
    Jan 24, 2013
    40
    All too often the joy is forgettable. [Feb 2013, p.106]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    Jan 22, 2013
    60
    The prime intention of Wolf's Law is to overwhelm with bluster, muscle and noise, to orchestrate us clean out of our boots.
  3. musicOMH.com
    Feb 1, 2013
    60
    It’s a confused collection of songs, but there are enough gems here to suggest that they’ll come good soon enough.
  5. Under The Radar
    Jan 9, 2013
    55
    The album begins very much where The Big Roar left off, thundering its way through five noisy screeds without much variety in pace or power, However, halfway through Wolf's Law, The Joy Formidable veer off its beaten path. [Jan-Feb 2013, p.87]
  6. Drowned In Sound
    Jan 17, 2013
    60
    Sounding big may be a pretty good way to get a support slot with the biggest bands in the country and, in time, the world, but after a point you need more to say.
  7. Paste Magazine
    Jan 23, 2013
    60
    All but a few tracks could be touted as a single, though in the same breath, it is hard to pick a standout from them, their defining moments tied to a choice on their pedal board.
  8. Consequence
    Jan 22, 2013
    60
    Yes, face The Joy Formidable's something and it's better than most. Just don't dig too deep for what that something is.
  9. Slant Magazine
    Jan 22, 2013
    60
    The best tricks and riffs from The Big Roar are culled and sewn back together to lukewarm effect, but the lack of innovation and variation is disappointing.
  10. NOW Magazine
    Jan 31, 2013
    60
    Subtlety isn't the band's forte, but they sure know how to make an ostensibly stripped-down rock song enormous.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 22 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. 1000
    Mar 19, 2013
    10
    FINALLY After years of dull indie rock, we have an album that breaks free of all the genre trappings, does it's own thing and just sticksFINALLY After years of dull indie rock, we have an album that breaks free of all the genre trappings, does it's own thing and just sticks it's soul out there for everyone to see. I love this album.. in a sea of mediocrity it stands out as spectacular from the first note to the last. I hope The Joy Formidable are around for a long time because this album is sublime.… Full Review »
  2. rarlsatan
    Jan 29, 2013
    4
    Poorly produced. The drums, strings, and keys all sound digitally done. Worst of all is the way they ruined her voice. She seems to havePoorly produced. The drums, strings, and keys all sound digitally done. Worst of all is the way they ruined her voice. She seems to have recorded a bunch of tracks for each vocal in different keys, but they are all mixed at the same level so you can't really hear how she actually sounds. A big step down from The Big Roar. This is what happens when bands self produce.… Full Review »
  3. MusiclyMade
    Jan 27, 2013
    7
    The Joy Formidable do only seem to operate within a very small circle of loud distortion, crashing drums and grinding bass guitar strumming,The Joy Formidable do only seem to operate within a very small circle of loud distortion, crashing drums and grinding bass guitar strumming, but it's a great circle that has helped them produce a more than solid album. Most songs seem to follow the structure of having loud verses and even louder choruses, and they very rarely deviate from this, but they show in flashes that they can write epic songs to close off albums, acoustic trimmings ('Silent Treatment') to work as the album's keystone and some mean riffs that echo some of Biffy Clyro's best work.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »