Review: Indie Rock Duo Wilder Release Debut EP

Photo Credit: Erick Frost

Southern California indie-rock duo Wilder have released their debut EP BAD BAD LUCK via Rude Records. Wilder is the new project of Long Beach, CA musicians Stephen Ramos and Nick Sturz. The two have paid their dues over the years touring and recording. The EP is a high-energy and introspective collection of indie-punk songs reflecting largely on the band members’ experience as young adults in the church and their journey making a fresh start.

“After such a long time in anticipation, we are thrilled to finally release this EP,” shares the band. “It’s an accurate reflection of who we are today, and an ode to our journey up until now. From establishing our presence as artists over the past 10 years, to the pains of letting our old band go, as well as outgrowing certain relationships and leaving organized religion; This EP tells the story of it all. The page has finally turned, and it’s time to get wild!”

The 5 track EP is a blend of pop-punk attitude with an indie-rock sound. Ramos vocals possess a whining quality similar to that of Blink-182’s Tom Delonge, while the guitars have a brighter sound which convey more of an indie sound.

“’bitemytongue’ is about looking back into your past and realizing the things you thought you were doing to become a better person were actually hindering you,” shares vocalist/guitarist, Stephen Ramos. “The chorus says, ‘Oh I feel it now, I feel it now, there’s something burning up inside of me’; This “feeling” honestly changes meaning every day for me and ranges from empathy all the way to rage. The idea is for the listener to interpret these lyrics and connect with them on their own personal level.”

“Sometimes a fresh start is really what you need,” shares the band. “‘Oh No’ really embodies the path to how Wilder. came to be. Like our other songs, it has colorful, bright instrumentals that mask very honest, vulnerable lyrics, like ‘I got what I want/still kinda feel lost.’ This is just a small insight to an internal struggle of starting something new, yet not really knowing the outcome of what this new endeavor will bring us. But man, we are stoked. Let’s get wild.”

Those that like more aggressive indie-music with a little bit of attitude will like this album. The BAD BAD LUCK EP is available now, at https://music.ruderecords.com/badbadluckep.

Track List:
1 – See Through
2 – bitemytongue
3 – Bad Bad Luck
4 – Oh No
5 – Hang Up

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