Project Description

WILD RIVERS 

‘Eighty-Eight’

(EP review)

6/7/18

Reviewer: Vicky Hebbs 

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Wild Rivers’ EP Eighty-Eight comes two years after their self-titled debut album was released in 2016. The Ontario-based folk band are comprised of musician and vocalist Devan Glover, musician/vocalist/songwriter Khalid Yassein, drummer Ben Labenski and Andrew Oliver on bass and instrumentals.

EP starter A Week Ago is a folk love song about feeling nostalgic for the past. Bittwersweet lyrics offset the upbeat tone that pulls you into the groove of the EP. Devan’s voice has a beautiful waver and Khalid joins in next with a slight twang to his vocals that sounds more country than Devan’s distinctly folk voice. Lyrics like “Carolina on my mind” and “cracks in the leather” are mellow and soothing, and this song heavily features deliciously twanging guitar riffs. It is a rousing start to the EP.

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Howling captures the feeling of a darker nostalgia, featuring lingering vocals and beautiful acoustic instrumentals including tambourine which propels the song.

Call It A Night starts with a lulling instrumentals and Khalid’s rich drawl, before Devan joins in for a heart-achingly sincere song about giving up on arguing with a partner. Their method of taking turns to sing brings a really nice harmony in their voices. The bridge switches to more of a rock sound, with more drums and a short guitar riff.

You Can Side has a steady buildup, with Khalid’s voice the central focus and gradually Devan’s becoming louder as they sing together. Slow-paced with a strong guitar sound and drumbeat, this one is a chilled out folk rock tune with lingering backing vocals and leading vocals that are performed with a fiery passion.

I Won’t Be Back starts off a haunting country tune, and then hits you with a rousing chorus line. Devan’s vocal range changes dramatically, showcasing her expansive vocal range. I love the ending when the tempo slows right down with lengthened vocals and tinkling piano before the EP ends with a trumpet-sound and enthusiastic clapping.

The mix of soothing and jarring lyrics, and variety of tempos, keeps Eighty-Eight fresh and original. You never get lost wondering which song is playing now, as each track has its distinct sound and meaning. This makes Eighty-Eight feel as though it has a clear purpose and keeps you excited for what you will hear next. It never sticks to one genre, flitting between folk and soul, country and rock and melding them all at once with the blend of vocals and instrumentals to produce a beautiful contemporary folk sound.

Given the highly fine-tuned vocals and instrumental seamlessness of this EP, I wouldn’t hesitate to say the step up in Wild Rivers latest work will not go unnoticed and surely listens for this work will rival that of their debut album, that was streamed over 27 million times on Spotify.

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