Forever Home
Sofaburn, 2023
9/10
Although he cut his teeth in punk and hardcore bands, these days the singer-songwriter Shadwick Wilde is making calmer music, and this first official solo album in over a decade finds him contently in introspective territory.
The gorgeous and intimate “Easy Rider” starts the listen with a expressive acoustic fueled climate that benefits from Ken Coomer’s soft drums, and “Gardener’s Blues” follows with soulful backing vocals from the Dark Hours Choir, as Wilde handles warm keys, too.
Halfway through, “Two Girls With Hazel Eyes” benefits much from Diederik van Wassenaer’s well timed strings that give the atmosphere an orchestral slant, while “Please Love Me (I’m Drowning)” showcases Sam Wilson’s skilled electric guitar that helps cultivate the crisp album highlight.
“Dark Hours” and “Forever Home” exit the listen, where the former is textured precisely with much attention to mood via the hazy Americana, and the latter is a fluid, dreamy finish that uses Ted Pecchio’s plucked bass and some cozy synth for the heartfelt delivery.
Wilde is also the frontman for the louder Quiet Hollers, and even played in the Dischord Records luminaries Iron Cross. Here, though, it’s a more poetic, emotive avenue for this thoughtful songwriting that still retains his punk past, but with plenty of folk, Americana and even country leanings.
Travels well with: Electric Lecture- Electric Lecture; Teddy Grossman- Soon Come