Wilburs is an experimental band, and I use that label because they’re musicians that refuse to be pigeonholed in a single genre of music. They’re not out there selling out or trying to replicate tired, banal formulas — they’re trying to create something fresh and intriguing. And they’ve done exactly that on Wilburs II. It’s an alternative rock album, but it’s also an acoustic album, a DIY album and a little-bit-of-everything album. It’s an album for those who love bands that do things differently.
The self-titled intro “Wilburs II” sets the scene with synth keys that plink ominously atop a cracking static loop. Occasional vocal harmonies dart in and out of view, adding a beautiful splash of melody in this avant-garde opening to an album — an album that refuses to settle on any particular sound or style. Sharp synth notes jab here and there, adding to the cacophony of various instrumental elements in this brief but intriguing intro. And I was baffled by the transition into a beautiful acoustic rock track called “Mundane Becomes The Everyday,” which sounds like an entirely different band. I love the chord progression and vocal hooks on this easygoing rock output — the synth/guitar whirs towards the end gave the otherwise-folk track a surreal, alternative feel. There are so many twists and turns on this album. “Gold” is driven by a rolling drum beat, steadily strumming rhythm guitar and lead guitar that matches each solitary, spaced-out vocal note. There’s an abundance of intriguing sound effects and strange, alien synths; especially in the climax, which has a calming calamity to it. The crescendo is both wild and guitar-driven, and yet something serene and beautiful. “Requiem” is one of — if not the — best song on the album. That might seem strange to say when it barely scratches the minute mark, but it’s such an instrumentally colorful and complex track. I actually had to give it a repeat listen to make sure I reviewed it in the way it deserves. The heart-breaking piano chords, math-rock guitar solo and overall melody are all sublime. But the best part of the track is the drumming. Wow. There’s a precision and level of detail to the drum work on this track that blows me away — and the tone of it feels so present. So visceral. What an interlude. And it leads perfectly into the electrifying closing track, “Something I Won’t Fix.” A fast-tempo, clean electric guitars and crooning vocals suddenly transition into chaotic and arena-filling guitars, as the explosive choruses, laden with vocal screams, emerge in short sparks of fury. It’s a surprising but impressive outro to an album that, as a whole, deserves the same descriptors.
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