Wilderado (2022)

One Liner: Genuinely great rock and roll AND a cool name.  

Wikipedia Genre: Urban folk, alternative rock.
Home:  L.A. (originally from Tulsa)

Poster Position: 16
Weekend Two Only.  (noooooooooo!!!)  Sunday.

Thoughts: Last here in 2018, and I loved it.  These dudes are making some truly kick ass rock and roll.  The funny thing is that they remind me of Rainbow Kitten Surprise, who in turn reminded me of Kings of Leon, so they're in that same lineage of bands making that style of harmonic rock.  Maybe add Dr. Dog into that group of similar sounds as well.  And a little Chris Martin/Coldplay in there at times as well.  Their 2018 single "You Don't Love Me" is so good - I got goosebumps when it came back up in the Spotify list today.

Pretty basic tune, but that soaring, plaintive chorus hits me right in the chest.  Big fan of that tune.  Literal goosebumps.  The crazy thing is that I thought for sure that it would be their big hit - back when I heard it in 2018 I was certain.  But it's actually the least streamed tune on their 2018 EP Favors.  Weird.  Shows you what I know!

Only one actual album for the band, and before that a few EPs (Misty Shrub, Singles, and Latigo - all from 2017, and then Favors in 2018).  I don't notice a lot of variance over the catalog, doesn't seem like they evolved much in between them, or changed up their style, so I'm not sure whey they released so many EPs separately instead of in one album.

The band used to be called Bird Dog (they vastly improved the coolness of the band with the name change, IMO), and is made up of dudes from OK and TX.  I had it in my head that they were an Austin band, but I can't locate any evidence for that online, it looks like they just hail from L.A.  Wikipedia has two additional interesting facts: (1) "They are renowned to have three chinchillas travelling on tour with them named Minnesota, Michigan, and Wyo;" and (2) "The current name is an altered version of the name of a town in Texas called Wildorado, which the band came across while driving late at night."

The second-most streamed song, by a good-sized margin, is "Morning Light" from the Latigo EP.  With 21.5 million streams, its not huge, but for this style of music (which is unpopular in the streaming age of kids listening to Lil' Turd all day long), that is pretty solid.

That is where you can clearly hear my comparisons to RKS and KOL, both in the tune and especially in the vocals.  Another one is "Already Loved," where the group singing very much reminds me of RKS.  That song also has the vocals, when the whole group isn't singing, that sound like Chris Martin.  You can also get some pretty chilled tunes from these dudes, like "Rubble to Rubble," a strummy little sing-along.

Their most recent album is 2021's Wilderado.  More great music, with a few that I have been hearing on the radio.  "Outside My Head" cribs some feeling and riffs from The Pixie's "Where Is My Mind."  The best tune is "Head Right," which sounds very much like a Catfish and the Bottlemen collaboration with Kings of Leon, and yet somehow only has 3.9 million streams.  Great tune though.  But the stream champ is "Surefire," with just over 25 million streams.

Comes on like a John Mayer track with those soft-focus guitars, but the whole track sounds like something special.  Did she just serve Cam Newton a plate of pancakes?  Also, does it make anyone else uncomfortable when she runs her hand through her hair right over the stack of pancakes?  Gross.

I'm digging what these guys are putting down.  I'd definitely go see them play if I make it to Weekend Two!