Source: Album Artwork
This Wild Life have certainly come far since they started their music career in 2010 as a stage diving punk duo. Their sound could be described as unrecognisable when you look back at their debut album Pop Shove It. Their acoustic adaptions became more popular so This Wild Life soon fled from their pop punk roots to what they have now concocted in their new album Low Tides. Centering their sound more around their acoustic adaptations leaving the duo with very mellow and honest tracks, with enough unknown space to let you reflect on what’s going through your mind.
Low Tides is a great example in how This Wild Life have transformed their sound quite distinctly. One way is the dubious harmonies which blend seamlessly together as falsetto is often adopted which maintains the ambient texture of the songs like in ‘Just Yesterday’. These harmonies are nicely accompanied by a melodic chord pattern not yet heard on the other tracks but still stands very similar with others.
This Wild Life have really taken a chance with their dramatic change in sound which works well until all the tracks seem to melt together. The aura of the album is very heartfelt which is a consistent feeling contained within all of the tracks which work’s well if it was a way all the tracks are linked together, not when the motion of the album remains very level. Variation is key which works in tracks like ‘Change My Sheets’ where a build up can be obviously heard with strummed guitar chords and the gain of energy is noticeable just not huge, but it’s enough. The drum pattern actually becomes quite exciting towards the end of the track and is probably my favourite moment in the entirety of the album.
This Wild Life have made a new discovery in their sound and they are still trying to find it in my opinion. They have the foundation there with their new album Low Tides which is a landmark for them and for everyone else in what they now stand for so we can hope they get stronger from here. Sure there are strong elements to this album but the tracks can get all to familiar at times.
