In a world full of predictable and totally disposable singers, Patrick Wolf’s silence in recent years has been all the more of a loss. When you’re as unique as he is, there’s a gap which no one else can fill.
Born in South London, Wolf’s music always has a strong sense of place. His brilliant 2005 album ‘Wind in the Wires’, for example, is directly inspired by his Cornish and Irish roots. Yet, conversely, as an artist, Wolf is very difficult to pin down. He’s a chameleon – no two albums sounding remotely alike. This shape-shifting versatility is matched by his on stage presence. He plays the piano, viola, ukulele and primarily the harp – sometimes dressed flamboyantly (he likes to customise his clothes on an old sewing machine), sometimes in a suit.
Finally, he is simply a great songwriter; from the elegant sadness of ‘The Days’, to the raw savagery of ‘Tristan’.
His fans, (of which I include myself), miss him!
