Wild Rivers releases powerfully compelling album, ‘Better Now’

The Toronto folk band, Wild Rivers, returns with their third studio album Better Now. The record features eight songs, each bringing a liveliness and intimacy to the album. With the combination of passionate lyrics and powerful instrumentation, the band compels and captivates the audience. It creates a personal atmosphere and makes it impossible to stop listening. 

The first track, “What Kind of Song,” was immediately intriguing and enthralling. The longest track of the album sets an intimate tone to the record, as the instrumentation and lyrics flow so well together. The soothing vocals embrace the listener, and bring the audience into the melody. 

The next song, “Settle Down,” follows up with a more sweet sound. The instrumentation is calmer which, complemented with the lighter vocal pitch, generates a sensation of happiness and dreaminess. This sound fits with the lyrics that describe the process of falling in love (“Stick around cause I’m all in, falling like rain for you”).  

However, the next song, “Freezing,” has a sudden shift in mood, going from calm and blissful, to extreme sadness and angst. The song reflects the pain of letting go, and watching a loved one move on (“I knew that this day would always come, you were gonna find a girl”). This is emphasized by the instrumentation — a slow and low acoustic guitar in the background, and the uneven voice of the singer. However, the brilliance of the song comes from the dynamic between the singer’s deeper and lighter. It’s reminiscent of two people discussing and looking back at the relationship that was lost. 

Additionally, the album creates rapid changes in emotions and feelings, changing the tone and mood of the songs unexpectedly. This reflects on the several unforeseen alterations of a relationship, and transmitting the complications of love. Overall the album has a relatable and personal quality to it.  

“Still the One” ends the album in a joyfully. The track provides a closure to the relationship explored throughout the record, conveying the feeling that the person was and will always be the one for them (“But I still smile when I think about that, cause you’re still the one for me”). 

Better Now perfectly encapsulates the intricacies of romantic affairs. The album’s captivating and intimate compilation of songs is a rollercoaster of emotions. However, there is also a personal feeling to the album. Additionally, the instrumentation, harmonies, and lyricism transport the audience, making them a part of the story and the emotions explored.