Customer Reviews

Wilderness

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, after Pitchfork's review and the blurb on Jagjaguwar's website, I grabbed this immediately. I always liked John Lydon's vocals more than much of the music of PIL; I liked the earlier Cure's music more than Robert Smith's yowl. This album, then, sounds just right, I thought, as I listened to the first song. But then eight others followed with practically the same melody, beat, and pace. Make-out music for goths, perhaps? The template's appealing for a few minutes, but not over the entire album. It sets a mood, and then the mood sets in and stops any momentum or progression for 90% of the set. Only the keyboards at the end hearken towards another set of sonic possibility.

The band's not bad at what they do, but can't they do more? Combining what indeed is a Lydonesque wail with a steadily downbeat early-80s post-punk progression of chords works, as I said, nicely. But more musical experimentation is needed to offset ennui on the listener's part. If PIL and post-punk had somehow never existed, this pairing would be astonishing. 25 years on, however, to those of us who were around for the original inspirations for Wilderness, this marriage lacks spark.

I do hope the band continues to challenge themselves and stretch their capabilities further. I'm not willing to give up on them. For a comparison of another band on the label that re-works to better effect older influences, try Black Mountain's s/t debut.

Johnny B, I completely agree about the Sigur Ros hook on track 4, I had that same epiphany the first time I heard it. I think they even use a similar reverb effect. Anywho, if you're all about whirpool acts of fatalist neo-psychedelia (and you've lost at the game of life if you aren't), then this album is your bag. Don't expect a tremendous amount of variation in sound, but I think the relentless atmospherics are one of the coolest things about it. A cohesiveness missing in many albums can be found here. Of course, if they continue to do the exact same thing on subsequent albums I may change my attitude...

Every once in a while a song slaps you in the face like Burgess Meredith in "Rocky" shaking you back to reality in the last round. Not since Frost Bite's "Loose My Mind" have I found myself playing a song -- this time Wilderness' "Arkless" -- over and over till it's raw and bleeding. But whereas Frost Bite's (the delicious-sounding pairing of Sugarcubes' Einar Orn and Kate Jane Garside of Daisy Chainsaw and Queenadreena) sole release fell short, Wilderness delivers a deft, dense nugget. Singer James Johnson's queer warble is worth the price of admission alone, like an oddly tasty pairing of cranberry and gorgonzola, at times reminiscent of PIL-era John Lydon, the more vituperate (and secretive) singer for Test Dept. and perhaps what The Fall's Mark E. Smith would sound like as a banshee. The music is percussive, clanging like early Savage Republic; occasionally jerky, off-tempo like Fugazi, but spacious and untamed as the name implies. The stew brewed is infectious and the 80s-fever bandwagon comparisons inevitable just as it was for Bloc Party, whose "Silent Alarm" channeled the frenzy U2's "Boy" while the band carved its own knot on the tree of sound. Unlike Bloc Party, Wilderness is not invited to your frat party - in fact, I have a feeling they're at home in the basement building homemade stalagmites.

Soul Asylum's Dave Pirner once said something to the effect that songwriting is best when it's simple: three chords and story. Well, understand up front that Wilderness step outside of that paradigm - way outside. Most of the songs take more of a free-form, "post rock" approach (for want of a better or less worn-out categorization) that eschews the traditional verse-chorus-verse pop/rock songwriting formula. They're copping elements of the mid-'80s alt-rock sound, though -- kind of along the lines of Echo and the Bunnymen and "Sister"-era Sonic Youth, given the chiming, brittle guitar lines. From a more contemporary perspective, they also bear slight aural resemblance to Interpol, but Wilderness' playing is on the whole more technically proficient and the album production is denser and more complex (which is welcome - no McMusic here, kids!)...

Had to laugh at the first review that said this resembled a metal album... Though that couldn't be further from the truth musically, there is a metal/hard rock connection with the vocal performance. Aside from the lyrics being largely opaque (hinting, I believe, at the virtues of civil disobedience and the ironic prison of nationalism we're building in the U.S. these days), they way they are delivered - brusque shouts and moans, often uttered in near-indecipherable fashion - eventually wears the listener down to the point of not caring about either the manifest OR latent message. Granted, incorporating such non-traditional vocal styles have been the hallmarks of some successful experimental hard rock/metal vocalists (e.g., Neil Fallon, Mike Patton and Maynard James Keenan), but the key is that they know when to mix it up and adopt a more traditional style. And that's what makes the vocals here so frustrating - they're so pervasively irritating that it's hard to believe that they're not a gimmick to attract attention.

On the whole, though, it's a worthy debut. These guys have clear musical talent - check out the beautiful piano ballad finale. Just hope that vocalist colors within the lines a little bit more on an future releases. Do it for the kids, man.

Agreed with the last reviewer, this album can be quite anthematic (i.e. Say Can You See; I can't seem to stop shouting it after I've listened to the song. Anywho...). Without any prompting from Pitchfork or anything (because I find their reviews to be quite pretentious), I heard of Wilderness through a friend. And since my first listen, I can't stop. It's listenable and rememberable, and honestly one of the more collected albums that just... makes sense. Just listen and enjoy. Got it?

this album is mega-anthemic. if you like triumphant music you should buy this album--some of it sounds a lot like really early u2's post-punk, but with an atonal shouting for the vocals a lot like public image's first album (and probably a million other post-punk bands with non-singing vocalists). the band sounds a little thin at times, but they definately pull off that big, victorious sound even without strings and horns. buy this if you like triumphant music with delay-pedal guitars.

The artfull instrumental minimalism of this outfit is weaved together to a delightfully complex effect. The lyrics are presented like a post-modern incantation of a kind. The ringing guitars, sinister riffs and ominous drums combine with these quasi-arcane proclamations to create something unique. Something that touches our sublime undercurrents of loss, fear and wide-eyed wonder between our monuments and ruins. Something that is ardently emotional and intense in the face of our new century uncertainties. It is art for our time and it is truly remarkable.

Ok - This is my first review on Amazon. Let me preface this review by saying I am a huge fan of reading the album reviews on Amazon and this is my first time posting an album review on here.

Like many of the other reviewers, Pitchfork's review on this band inspired me to purchase this CD. The lead singer definately does have a Johnny Lydonesque thing going on. His vocal style is a little too over the top for me and I am fan of PIL, etc. One reviewer's comment on the lead singer's vocals stated it eloquently, "if he colored a little more in the lines" or something to that effect it would be more accessible. I agree.

I will say this, the music is off the charts. I really enjoy the straight-ahead drumming and the spacey guitars. The music reminds me of Explosions In The Sky. However, even with the lead singer ranting during most of the songs, this is still a very good album. I would encourage fans of this band or this type of music to check out The Appleseed Cast. My opinion is that TAC album Low Level Owl Volume I and II is a masterpiece.

The one thing that really prompted me to write this review is the the guitar hook in the song titled the End Of Freedom by these guys. For weeks, I could not place where I heard this hook before. I think I figured it out. Track 4 off the Sigur Ros album (). While it is not exact... It is strangely similiar... Agree?

My best advice in listening to this album is to think of the vocals not as a story telling device but as another instrument. In the same vein as Sigur Ros, the vocals are often indiscernible, but in my opinion, it doesn't matter at all. This music is anthemic and atmospheric and hauntingly beautiful. As other reviewers have noted, it does get repetitive but when its this good does it matter? I say no. Again, think of this music as purely instrumental and I think you will have a more enjoyable listening experience.

I heard this album after searching through someone's computer, and immeditely got hooked on track three, "It's all the same". It just has a nice, upbeat feeling to it. I also enjoyed "Arkless". One thing I can say about this band is that they play extremely tight. Unlike the music, it took a while for the singer to grow on me.... but he did. I would recommend this album to anyone. and remember, listen to it a couple times before you hate on it! peace out-