The Wild Waiting - Stay Gold

​The Wild Waiting

​Stay Gold
self-released; 2015

3.4 out of 5

By Jamie Funk

Ryan Gavin (vocals/guitar), Robert Washburn (bass/keys), Jacob King (guitar/keys) and Matthew Wiles (drums) are The Wild Waiting. On their recent six-song EP entitled Stay Gold they make pop/rock that is unequivocally more apt for the mainstream than underground. The production is perfect in a very commercial kind of way. Everything sounds produced to the point where you almost want something to feel a little more raw and live.

It seemed obvious to me after spending some time with the EP that the band is trying to reach as broad as an audience as possible with these songs. The radio ready songs encompass the traits and criteria that you hear in very popular rock. 

The most glaring trait is the grand, huge sound all of these songs as if they are just demanding to be heard. If you tune your radio to a FM radio station that plays rock you will hear exactly what I’m talking about. This is the opposite of the raw, gritty sound of a band like The White Stripes. 

The band kicks things off with “All My Life” which mixes in an inventive vocal loop alongside reverb laced guitar, stead bass and drums. I was reminded of Matchbox 20 if they were more inspired by Coldplay. If you enjoyed  “All My Life” I don't think there is any way you won’t appreciate what the band offers. 

“Burn With Me” is an aesthetically pleasing song in some ways but also predictable while “Say the Right Words” has the word “single” painted all over it. The songs start to bleed into each other with similar vibes of being both hopeful and triumphant. Their choruses explode and breakdowns are quite, soft and dramatic.

Even if you aren’t a fan of popular rock you probably heard various forms of what The Wild Waiting are doing in some incarnation before. I would have liked to hear more of a distinct sound from The Wild Waiting on this effort but at the end of the day there's a reason why this style is popular. Take a listen to Stay Gold; you will know very quickly if this is your cup of tea.

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