Wild Rivers first crossed my radar as I walked the grounds of the Edmonton Folk Festival six or seven years ago. I was struck then by the gentle acoustic guitar, melodic piano passages, and atmospheric lead lines that underpinned the emotional, dynamic vocals of Khalid Yassein and Devan Glover. At that point, only their 2016 debut, a self-titled indie folk record, was out, but I went home and started listening to it immediately. I was especially smitten with the ache and nostalgia of “Paul Simon.”
It’s been a pleasure following my fellow Canadians on their trajectory, releasing evermore popular records and opening for acts like The Chicks and The Paper Kites in recent years. At the same time, their sound has evolved beyond the minimalism of their indie folk roots, slowly incorporating more rock, blues, and pop influences to significant effect. Now, their new record, Never Better, is approaching. Do Wild Rivers continue their exploration into new sonic territory? Have they never been better?
The title track opens the album, and answers at least the first question with a solid no. Retro synths drive the song alongside strumming acoustic guitars, twanging lead lines, and the unison vocals of Yassein and Glover. It feels like one of their most polished and pop-oriented tunes in their discography while still maintaining their folk roots. After a track like that, I was primed for this new chapter of Wild Rivers that feels like it could reach an even broader audience.
A track with subtle, saturated guitar stabs like “Cave In” evokes comparison to fellow Ontarian Bahamas, while singles “Everywhere I Go” and “Backfire” utilize Andrew Oliver’s lead guitar and Yassein’s piano to great effect with atmospheric, key-driven ballads. Bluesy guitar harmonies open “Anyways, I Love You”, feeling like a subtle nod to Jack Johnson and Leon Bridges. Not all tracks seek to maintain the energy of the album’s opener, instead illustrating the broad palette of 90s alternative, blues, pop, rnb, and folk influences and elements they use to paint their thoughtful portraits of love, flirtation, temptation, and loss. What runs through all of these songs, regardless of their genre or influence, is an incredibly strong songwriting sense. There is no moment here wasted on anything that isn’t a strong instrumental or vocal hook, memorable lyric, or arrangement that subtly builds interest and complexity (the drum patterns and infectious chorus of “Hardly Ever” being a notable example). This attention to detail and sharp writing is only strengthened by Wild Rivers’ work with Gabe Wax (The War On Drugs, Soccer Mommy, Adrianne Lenker, and Jeremy Zucker)
While marketed as an LP, Never Better is incredibly concise, with 7 songs, a closing interlude, and just over 22 minutes of runtime. Quite frankly, that works for me. I would much prefer a short collection of incredibly strong songs over a bloated or overwrought album. Wild Rivers describes how these songs came together naturally, with more of a live feel than previous records. It’s intended to feel like a genuine expression of the trio, extending to each song intentionally and thoughtfully included on Never Better.
