Wilderness-Wilderness

[-macphisto-]

Hopefully this hasnt been posted yet.
If you like ringing guitars, very orginal vocals, check out this band, I love them!

 

[u2popmofo]

I've been meaning to make a thread on them for some time now. I went through quite the ordeal to finally acquire the album, but it's been absolutely worth it. Wilderness in a lot of ways sounds to me like Explosions in the Sky making pop music with a singer (who uses an extremely quirky and interesting style of singing). Their label even uses a similar description in their bio which also throws The Edge into the mix: This quartet's self-titled debut conjures images of Metal Box-era Johnny Lydon fronting Savage Republic or Explosions in the Sky. Cascading guitars build into the most beautiful pop epiphanies, as though the Edge were leading a modern day Popol Vuh up the mountain before us.

I personally really dig their style, but I think the vocals are going to make or break this group for people. I'm not going to be surprised at all if some of you cant get past the guy's voice, but I think his style and delivery really adds to the power of the music.

Some links:
http://www.wildernesssounds.com/ (stream 2 of their songs here, both very good examples of their sound)
http://www.jagjaguwar.com/catalog/jag88.htm


Reviews:
http://pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/w/wilderness/wilderness.shtml
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?...FFA62A5500CD6C0EF57ECAD1B&sql=11:1vjweai64xf7

 

[barlowdog]

I've been wanting to check this band out for a couple of months now. I believe they're from Baltimore and I'll be in Baltimore this weekend so will be looking for their cd. Plus, I can usually trust u2popmofo's taste.

 

[u2popmofo]

Plus, I can usually trust u2popmofo's taste.

I hope this time is no different.

Here's a brand new review of their album that Popmatters ran on their site today:

http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/w/wilderness-st2005.shtml


Edit:
I really like this part of the review, it really echoes my comments from yesterday:
One thing is for sure; this band is not interested in making background music. Their songs are sublime and obnoxious and sure to inspire revulsion as much as admiration. Wilderness definitely stands in its own enormous class, and whether you attend to it or not, there will be no fencing. The universal "I don't like the singer" rationalization for not liking a band is sure to echo profusely as far as Wilderness is concerned. But as the maniac vocals and enveloping psychedelics suggest, this band doesn't seem interested in attracting casual fans.

 

[barlowdog]

I hope this time is no different.


[/i]

Well, if this time is different, you're allowed one slip up.

 

[u2popmofo]

Yay for the band index!

Not sure if anyone is still remotely interested in them here other than myself (hey, I am the Wilderness Last FM group leader for heaven's sake!), but Wilderness released their second album earlier this year, Vessel States. I grabbed what seemed to be the only available copy in Utah the day it came out. It's certainly a little different stylistically and structurally than their debut, much more mellow and subdued. While even I have to admit that it's definitely not as good as their debut (which should be no surprise since it took them 3 years to make their debut and only one year to do the follow up) and certainly not as good of an introduction to them, it still has a number of great tracks and grows on you with time. My favorites as of now are 'Beautiful Alarms', 'Gravity Bent Light', and 'Emergency'. If you liked their debut, give it a shot.

Here are some good album reviews of Vessel States for those interested:

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/wilderness_vessel_states/

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/23288/Wilderness_Vessel_States




In related news, I saw Wilderness live earlier this year. They were truely fantastic, I was insanely impressed with how well the band could replicate their recorded sound in a live setting. The singer performed what I think may possibly be the coolest dance moves I've ever seen in a concert, and to top things off he stepped off the stage during Arkless and layed down on the floor directly at my feet and sang the rest of the song. Needless to say, I had no clue how to react to that.... Got to talk to a number of the band members before and after the show, they were really nice guys and seemed genuinly greatful to have fans there who were interested in them.

This is a good band, people. Get with the program.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

This is a good band, people. Get with the program.

Someone's being a little...BOSSAY!

 

[u2popmofo]

Someone's being a little...BOSSAY!

 

[got_edge]

Yay for the band index!

It's certainly a little different stylistically and structurally than their debut, much more mellow and subdued. While even I have to admit that it's definitely not as good as their debut (which should be no surprise since it took them 3 years to make their debut and only one year to do the follow up) and certainly not as good of an introduction to them, it still has a number of great tracks and grows on you with time.

Maybe I'll check that out. Wilderness is a pretty good album

 

[u2popmofo]

Pretty good album?! VERY good album (and album cover)


Jagjaguwar is the sh*t, yall.

 

[barlowdog]

I personally really dig their style, but I think the vocals are going to make or break this group for people. I'm not going to be surprised at all if some of you cant get past the guy's voice, but I think his style and delivery really adds to the power of the music.

What you said about the vocals was true with me. I really liked the music, but the singer sounds like a constipated John Lydon during his PIL days. Seriously, someone needs to slip this guy a laxative.
Joking aside, I'm still gonna check out their second album when i get a chance.

 

[u2popmofo]

What you said about the vocals was true with me.

Yeah, not too big of a surprise. People seem to hate them or love them, so no worries. Outside of discussing the vocals just on their own merits, I still think they work very well inside of the types of songs they make. Obviously if they started singing standard pop songs I'd probably think they were horrific, but somehow it works in this kind of "arty" music.

 

[u2popmofo]

Not sure if anyone is still remotely interested in them here other than myself (hey, I am the Wilderness Last FM group leader for heaven's sake!)

http://www.last.fm/group/Wilderness+Band/forum/74644/_/373522

wilderness is no longer on hiatus.

we will be performing at the whitney biennial this
march in collaboration with an artist named charles
long from los angeles.

the music for this event will be all new material. it
will not be a rock show environment. it will be free
to the public.

a brief u.s. tour will follow with both east and west
coast dates.

we will have a new website up soon with all of this
information as well as some new art.

we do not choose to have a my space page.

as long as it is clear that it is not run or set up by
the band we have no problem with you having it up.
feel free to get information from the
wildernesssounds.com site, as this info will be more
or less in our own words.

thank you for your kind interest in the music.

peace to you and take care.


I truly thought they were done for good. This news brightens up my year. Yay for hatred of Myspace.

 

[u2popmofo]

8 months later, and we finally have more news.....

NEW ALBUM IN NOVEMBER!!!!!! woooooooooo

Wilderness Go (k)no(w)here on New Album | Pitchfork

I continue to be disappointed in their album covers. How could they make one so fantastic for the debut, and follow it up with two so terrible? Oh well, I'm sure the music itself will be fantastic as always. Apparently the guitarist just released a side project/solo album today....

 

[Audiophile]

Yes, first album art ruled. Glad to see they are getting better though, the second album still haunts me.

 

[u2popmofo]

the second album still haunts me.

 

[u2popmofo]

I'm sure the music itself will be fantastic as always.

And it is.
Wilderness: (K)no(w)here (2008): Reviews

The album came out a few weeks back, and not surprisingly, I've been loving it. I think it's definite improvement over Vessel States, and seems to have some of the accessibility of the debut, even though it still has shades of Vessel States. It actually kinda seems like the album they probably wanted to make with Vessel States but didn't achieve. I'd say that 'Own Anything' is one of the best tracks they've ever made, I can't help but get a huge smile across my face every time I listen to it. 'Strand The Test of Time' hearkens back to some of the dark feel of 'Arkless', and is the first time I really hear the Joy Division vibe that so many people originally said the band had. 'Silver Gene' and 'Chinese Whispers' have the fantastic chimey guitars Wilderness fans love. As Pitchfork correctly pointed out in their review today, the band's rhythm section REALLY shines on this album.


I mentioned it here previously, but if you like the idea of a band sounding like The Edge playing with Explosions in the Sky mixed with Joy Division and Public Image Limited, you'll absolutely love this. Wilderness remain a still relatively unknown quirky gem, their debut is one of my all time favorite albums, and both follow up albums have had enough good tunes to be quite satisfying as well. The vocals will still be the "make or break" issue for most people, and (k)no(w)here certainly isn't going to do much to gain them more fame, but I still highly recommend this band. I love, love, LOVE them.


To once again quote Popmatters wonderful assessment:
One thing is for sure; this band is not interested in making background music. Their songs are sublime and obnoxious and sure to inspire revulsion as much as admiration. Wilderness definitely stands in its own enormous class, and whether you attend to it or not, there will be no fencing. The universal "I don't like the singer" rationalization for not liking a band is sure to echo profusely as far as Wilderness is concerned. But as the maniac vocals and enveloping psychedelics suggest, this band doesn't seem interested in attracting casual fans.

 

[IWasBored]

i keep ignoring this thread because i'm a jerk like that.

vocals sound like an indie-rock version of rev. paulie on the joe coffee album.

cool.