Hello Reader,
Welcome back.
The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based band Wilderado was named after an unincorporated Texas town the band drove through on their way to a gig. They took the town’s original spelling and adjusted it to one that befitted the band more. Band members of the indie-folk group include Max Rainer (lead singer, guitarist), Tyler Wimpee (guitarist, vocals), and Justin Kila (drums). They have been on an incredible run since the release of their self-titled debut album in October 2021. The popularity and acclaim from the album led to the band’s late night TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in March 2022 and morning TV debut on CBS Saturday Morning in September 2022. But before that incredible rise, the band was building a dedicated following and fan base upon the releases of Misty Shrub EP (2016), Latigo (2016) which garnered the band millions of plays on Spotify, and Favors EP (2018). To shed more light on the band’s popularity, the release of the single “Surefire” in summer of 2019, currently has been played over 50 million times on Spotify and the band’s 2020 single “Take Some Time”, currently has been played over 22 million times on the same music streaming platform. After watching some of their live performances, I’m eager to see them perform live and I understand why the band has the following it does.
Wilderado are set to release their sophomore album Talker on September 20th via Bright Antenna Records for your listening pleasure. Bright Antenna Records is a kickass indie label out of the small city Mill Valley, CA. Situated in one of the most gorgeous parts of Cali, Marin County. A place everyone that is physically able to, should visit at least once in their lives.
The band traveled to Norman, Oklahoma to record the album. To give credit where it’s due, in addition to Max Rainer (lead singer, guitarist), Tyler Wimpee (guitarist, vocals), and Justin Kila (drums), Talker was produced by Chad Copelin (Sufjan Stevens, SYML) and James McAlister (Gracie Abrams, The National). When asked about it, Rainer shared in the press release, “I’m proud to say we made an album that feels like home and weathers who we are.”
And now for some hype for your ears!
The titular song, and the first on the album “Talker”:
(All credits and rights to Wilderado)
You hide away and get by in “Bad Luck”:
(All credits and rights to Wilderado)
Escaping to the wonders of nature in the lyric video for the song “Sometimes”:
(All credits and rights to Wilderado)
The lyric video full of hope in “Tomorrow”:
(All credits and rights to Wilderado)
Overall, Talker offers a feel-good melody based listening experience from start to finish complete with catchy grooves and songwriting earworms delivered by vocals from Rainer and Wimpee. Many love to compare. Did their songwriting improve since and is this second album better than their debut album? Listener, you be the judge. Wilderado’s self-titled debut was a great offering in of itself. I’ll share my own thoughts after talking about each song. While listening, and thinking about the lyrics in Talker, you’ll notice some moods and themes overlap. Three of the most prevalent are searching, loneliness, and escapism. These darker themes could seem contrasting on the surface level when those serious lyrics are paired with more lighter melodies. The band gets an A for crafting and composition as I think they blend theme and melody together exquisitely. Wilderado is in fantastic, top form, all members are given time to shine, and they do. The vocals, drums, guitars and lyrics are tight throughout. The songs flow well from one to the next and there’s enough variety in melody, musicianship and vocals to keep the listener engaged. I think the sonic quality is excellent as well.
“Talker” opens with lyrics that succinctly explain the album title choice. The guitarwork is lively and the drums are a steadying force carrying the melody forward. A great start to any album, and this song establishes some of what one can expect on the remainder of this album.
The escapism and searching within the lyrics for “Bad Luck” pair well with a flowing melody that consists of wonderful jangly guitar and driving drums.
The third song on the album, “Simple” opens with punching kick drums and a sweet-sounding guitar chord progression. The lyrics are adventurous, a good deal of travel and seeking occurs simultaneously.
“Higher Than Most” kickstarts with a summery melody. The pacing is a bit faster than the previous songs, weaving through time with some fantastic guitar and drum work coming together well. Once again. The lyrics explore loneliness and coping with those feelings.
Some aggressive strumming is our introduction to “Coming To Town” as we hear familiar vocal deliveries a top this raucous melody that also includes steady drums. The pace slows down at times, allowing the vocals to shine even more. And then the melody speeds back up again. But it all pairs flawlessly to comprise a single song. The lyrics serve as a reminder to appreciate and are delivered in a resolute, confident manner.
“In Between” offers the largest expanse feel and sound of any song on the album to this point. The pedal steel matched with the other instrumentation (guitar and drums) creates the most Great Plains folk rock sound on this album, yet. It’s a beautiful sound, haunting at times and doesn’t verge on the sweeter notes that pedal steel of the Nashville Sound can have which wouldn’t fit here at all. The lyrics match the expansive melodic feel with references to horses, Oklahoma and Mexico among other states of being.
I like the guitar picking on “Longstanding Misunderstanding” as it adds to the melody, contrasting slightly with the solid drumbeat, deeper guitar groove notes. The picking also pairs well with the vocals and lyrics and it’s not overused. The lyrics are longing with a sense of weariness and hope.
Vocals start the song “Sometimes” with guitars joining a few seconds after. The lyrics explore various states of past happiness even if it these feelings are temporary. And complicated as they are not pure bliss. There are quieter moments in this song, that allow the guitars to flourish and the band to perform a couple of fantastic solos.
A sultry, dance-worthy groove opens “Tomorrow” and runs for 10 seconds before the vocals start. This song features introspective, reflective lyrics with some second guessing. About 2/3 into the song, the guitars get heavier in the best ways. The vocal delivery changes seamlessly to match.
I really liked the vocalizations in “After All” as the band created a wall of chorus type sound. The result is an earworm of a chorus. May remind some of 90s alternative songs, but even if it doesn’t, it’s a catchy composition. There’s also some great guitar chord progressions and another round of steady drum work from Kila.
“Waiting On You” keeps the album moving forward. The melody is tight, and head bob worthy. I think the sound wound pair perfectly with footage of driving in a car around town. Especially the first 2/3 of this song. That video’s been done before? Sure, but it feels right. And Wilderado would do it justice. The drums are softer than previous songs, but perfect. Kudos Kila and the songs’ arrangers. The lyrics are tongue in cheek, about waiting.
“What Were You Waiting For” ends the album on a reflective note. Which is keeping up with a common theme throughout this album. The drumbeat creates a clap pace, try not to clap along with it. Rainer’s vocals are wistfully delivered matching lyrics that are longing, recalling a story from the past. The guitars resonate, creating some space within the melody. Sounds like a fitting way to end this chapter.
Talker gets 4 out of 5 Scum Drops from me. Yes, I think this album is an improvement from their debut. Which I would rate in the lower area of 4 Scum Drops territory. Say a 76. Some listeners may want another single as transformative as “Surefire” and this album may not offer that one over the top single to the listener. But be grateful. This album as a whole body of work, offers more than their debut. The baseline on Talker is higher, and the average song is improved in quality. There’s a lot to like from the songwriting to the compositions to the melodies. Wilderado is great at what they do. Talker falls into the upper range of the 4 Scum Drop territory for me which places it within the 80th-83rd percentile relative to all 2024 album releases. I recommend adding this to your collection on the format of your choosing. I think vinyl is a must.
Talker Track listing (song length)
- Talker (3:02)
- Bad Luck (3:23)
- Simple (2:44)
- Higher Than Most (3:20)
- Coming To Town (2:35)
- In Between (2:36)
- Longstanding Misunderstanding (2:42)
- Sometimes (3:00)
- Tomorrow (3:20)
- After All (3:17)
- Waiting On You (3:37)
- What Were You Waiting For (2:37)
Total runtime: 36:13
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. The process from start to finish will take you just over an hour if you listen to Talker twice back-to-back. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without the influence or bias of others. After a few listens on my own, the songs that are highlighted in green font above are my favorite songs on Talker.
Wilderado’s nicely done site with tour info, merch, info on how to stay up to date with the band and socials including their Instagram, Twitter, and Spotify pages.
Thank you for reading and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site: scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions!
Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
