New Music from the Wild Kindness

Austin’s own the Wild Kindness recently released a new tune, and I swear I meant to cover it! But, I aim to rectify my errors by presenting you with that tune now, particularly as its a great piece of classic sounding indie pop that should hit all the right notes. For me, this feels like We Have the Facts-era Death Cab; Mike Alexis’ vocals and lyricism are the star of the tune, but the emotion of said tune comes from the cascading guitars in the distance. Really, the production and arrangements are what allow the voice to take on the focus; percussion hangs lightly, while strings and woodwind lift the tune; there’s even a brief little heavy jam in the middle that gives it a nice bit of punch too. Easy listening that’s easily likable, so get into it below.

The Wild Kindness Share Pay That Price Single

Wanted to be sure we were covering lots of good Austin stuff, especially now that the Wild Kindness have moved to the comfy confines of our fair city after years of running amok in the Bay Area. It seems like a fitting move, as their sound certainly caters to a very Texas state of mind, particularly as the summer sinks into our skins. There’s something in Mike Alexis’ songwriting that reminds me of Clem Snide, though pushing even a little deeper into Americana; it’s got great accompaniment and arrangements to make the song swell, while still operating with clever wordplay. So, we welcome the group to Austin, and wish you’d check out their newest single.

The Wild Kindness Share You’re the Only One

Back in 2018 we were constantly jamming to Happy Now, the first LP from San Francisco’s the Wild Kindness. But, news came across our desks today that the band are ready for LP2, and with that, we’ve got the album’s first single. They’ve take their jangling style and infused it with flares of Americana, such that it shares lineage with the band’s hometown sound of long ago. But, when you move into the chorus, that’s the sweet spot for the band…they up the ante on their melody, build in some fuzzier riffs and get ready to blast away filled with joyous energy. It’s a good jam, and one that appears on their new record, Faulty, which they’ll release on May 1st.

Album Stream: The Wild Kindness – Happy Now

The members of The Wild Kindness have deep roots in the Bay Area music scene, and with their new project, they took their time to really develop their sound for their debut Happy Now. It’s an LP that seems like an amalgam of everyone’s favorite bits of indie rock over the last 30 years, like the little vocal nod to Pavement in “Space Companion” or the sunny Cali pop stylings of “Long Haul.” You’ll also hear great guitar moments that are most visible in your favorite guitar pop acts, letting notes hang and ring in the distance of the mix. The album title ends up fitting rather well, as you’ll leave your listening with your spirit uplifted, and maybe a new band to adore for the foreseeable future.