When Athens trio Wanderwild announced the impending release of something called ‘Platinum’ last week, it wasn’t immediately clear what they were referring to. Was the name in reference to a new album? A new single? A video? As it turned out, “Platinum” was indeed a new track, the band’s first piece of new music since their 2017 full-length debut, In Due Time. Released on Wednesday, the single features far sleeker and more assured songwriting than we’ve heard from the group in the past with plenty of sharp hooks and snap-along grooves to bop your head to.
Now, fresh off their inclusion on our Artists to Watch list for 2019, Wanderwild are announcing their sophomore album, Sleep Tight, Socialite. Scheduled for released on April 17, the record features nine tracks, which frontman Matt Martin says are among the most challenging and compelling songs the band has ever written.
“Our new record, Sleep Tight, Socialite, is the leanest record I’ve ever been a part of,” says Martin. “We wanted to make something that was precise and distilled, focused, and determined… I stretched myself as a singer more than I ever have on this record. Writing collaboratively meant pursuing vocal melodies and deliveries that were challenging, yet undeniably exciting and rewarding. We’re all better musicians and writers and friends because of this record. Our last album contained a lot of uncertainty. In a way, it championed uncertainty and made it a theme. Some of that will never go away, of course, but it feels like we’re far more confident and far less afraid on this record. If In Due Time was an exercise in flexibility, Sleep Tight, Socialite is all about intentionality, knowing the kinds of songs we want to write, and delivering them with as much passion as we know how to muster.”
Check out the cover art and tracklist below, and while you’re at it, make sure to stream “Platinum” on your way out. As earworms go, it’s a monster, and one hell of a promising sign for the album to come.
Tracklist:
1. Platinum
2. On Your Mind
3. All Around the Room
4. Right in Front of You
5. Andy
6. Gold Star
7. Irma
8. Back to Your House
9. Still
Wanderwild will perform on Sat., Mar. 9 at the Masquerade alongside the Arkells. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $15. All ages.
More Info
Web: wanderwildmusic.com
Bandcamp: wanderwild.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @wanderwildmusic
Instagram: @wanderwildmusic
SoundCloud: @wanderwild
Twitter: @wanderwildmusic