"The South" by Wilde
Review
Not only did ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Four' artists Wilde (check out "Wasted" if you've not already done so) manage to put together the innovative & unusual "The Spoons" during the constraints of the pandemic but they've gone and managed another with the upcoming "The South" (out at the end of this week on Friday 26th of February)
If "Wasted" was "…an electric snarl which makes its feelings abundantly clear.." as we suggested & "The Spoons" "..a much more acoustic track …and a more enigmatic theme... with words being delivered at a mighty rate…. the central protagonist is beautifully perched on a knife edge between a potential inarticulacy of the excessive thoughts in his brain & the actual articulacy with which he (just) manages to get them out" then the new song is something else again. In fact: let's get this out of the way straight away: it caught me before the first minute of its first play & now after repeated plays I am certain it's my favourite Wilde track & I'm going to state my opinion that I think it's their best work to date.
In some ways maybe "The Spoons" was a paving stone on the road to "The South" as the sound is a clear development of what they were exploring on the earlier record: letting acoustic instrumentation lead & opening out the sound to greater effect each time. However this time, the vocal as well as the instrumentation shows that spacing: on "The Spoons" the gabble was totally justified given the aim of the song, so no complaints there, but I do like the clear, stately vocal on "The South" and above all, the song showcases a real sense of self confidence within this excellent band. There is a palpable jauntiness as they swing through the track which approaches a swagger: the nearest comparison I can offer you might be the transformation which came over Primal Scream around the time of ‘Riot City Blues': which I certainly intend as a compliment.
Consequently the groove throughout is the key driver of what I'm talking of & the performance of the rhythm section has never been more assured to my ears, and I think it important to draw this to your attention given the likely focus most ears normally pay (quite understandably, especially here) to the guitars & vocals.
I find it hard to conceive how anyone will not like "The South" & it definitely possesses everything required for broad immediate radio play as well as becoming a key part of their live repertoire once such a thing is allowed back into being. In any event, as I say, the song represents I think I great step forwards & hopefully a significant one in the band's career: as for myself I have gained a new favourite to play now & look forward to hearing in concert.
Please do check Wilde out on social media at:
https://www.facebook.com/wildeband
