Courage and hope, the virtues of “Wonderland”, the surprising and acclaimed new album from Jodi Seifret.
The culmination of two years of work, “Wonderland” encapsulates the band’s path, two historical friends Jack Seidman and Harry Draper, virtually guiding us through their story from heartbreak and loss to the joys and love of a new life.
As soon as he chose the title, Seifret envisioned the album as a story of darkness turning into light. Draper explains, “We tried to find a balance on the album where there are some songs that are heartbreaking and some that are really uplifting.” “Wonderland takes us out of our comfort zones a little bit, which has been great, and we’ve found that when we do that, people love the music just as much.”
Formed in 2011, they came to limelight with their debut project “Give Me Something” in 2014, followed in 2015 with the EP “Oceans”, which included a video starring the Game of Thrones actor.
Maisie Williams as a bullied teenager.
The lead single “Oceans” remains a fan favorite, with over 170 million streams on Spotify.
2016’s “Tell Me It’s Real”, released under a distribution deal with Columbia Records, charted in the UK and received positive reviews from critics, who praised it,
“Moments of true beauty” and delicate feelings.
They produced their second album, 2020’s ‘Most of Us Are Strangers’, in eight weeks in a Glasgow studio with producer Ross Hamilton. “It was a big risk for us,” admits Seidman. Needless to say, it paid off. The album attracted the attention of the national press, including The Times, which reported
“the quality of the songwriting” and the band’s accomplished sound.
“Wonderland” showcases her remarkable talent for songs that evoke the full spectrum of human emotion, recent single “I’m Sorry”, a lefty pop track arranged by Grammy Award winner,
Dan Grech-Marguerat was one of the last songs added to the album, as Seidman and Draper found their creative streak running out. “We thought the record was finished,” Seidman admits, “but we kept on writing…”. The song serves as an apology for “all the little mistakes you make in life”, and the band invites fans to participate in the official music video. “It was an amazing response.”
When fans learned they were featured in the video, Draper says, they were clearly delighted: “It’s one of the best we’ve ever done.” The millions of viewers who have watched the video since its release in January seem to agree.
He has worked with some of the UK’s most celebrated producers, from Cam Blackwood (Florence and the Machine, George Ezra, London Grammar) to Steve Robson (Miley Cyrus, One Direction, Take That).
The lead single “Wonderland” is similarly poignant, but reflects the overall theme of the album, which is to emerge from the darkness. As Seidman puts it, “It’s about finally appreciating something you’ve taken for granted for so long.”
Seifrets considers it his most important work to date. Hear it and you will hear too.
the Pirate
Thursday 23 November 2023
Milan – Magnolia
Via Serconavallazione Idroscalo, 41, 20054 Novegro-Tregrezzo MI
pre Sales
www.ticketmaster.it and www.dice.fm