On his MySpace page, Wolf launched a competition for two people to win music lessons from him in London this month. As he explains it:
"I have always been something of a teacher. I teach chaos and how to break rules. It won’t be so much a lesson, rather a free experiment where they can open their minds.”
Patrick Wolf was going through such a tumultuous and prolific period while working on his new album that he had to spread out the material over two releases.
“‘The Bachelor’ is about a time when I was alone and didn’t want to be in a relationship,” the 25-year-old says of his new release. “I wanted to be single.”
The second album, due later this year, is called “Conqueror,” which we guess has something to do with his new boyfriend. The new beau’s name is William, after all, which could be an allusion to William the Conqueror, who was King of England in the 11th century. Wolf does love his English history.
“I guess the obvious answer is yes, it is a little bit like that,” Wolf acknowledges our suggestion. “My albums have pretty complicated messages but they have simple themes to help market them.”
Wolf is known for his personal mix of classic and modern music — sometimes labeled “folktronic.” He is constantly inspired by British cultural heritage: On his last album he collaborated with Marianne Faithfull, and on the new album, actress Tilda Swinton reads a text. She accepted when he gave her a handwritten note on the opening night of “Julia” in 2008.
“Her movies have inspired me, especially ‘Orlando,’ and her roots are British poetry and art,” he says. “She is a British icon for me, and her pronunciation is perfect. She is incredible.”
On “The Bachelor,” Wolf has rediscovered the electric guitars of his early youth.
“It’s an aggressive album, an aggressive ‘Bachelor.’ You try translating your feeling into instruments, and heavy metal and hard rock are wonderfully aggressive ways of communicating in music,” he says.
Patrick Wolf
Tonight, 7 p.m.
Highline Ballroom
$20
212-414-5994
www.highlineballroom.com