If you haven’t heard of The Wild & Free, you will now.
The St. Louis alt-pop quartet have been around for nearly two years and are about to release their upcoming full-length album Fight Back this fall. And from what we heard on their first single “Fire,” it will be an album to not sleep on. The Wild & Free have this style of bouncing around from pop to pure rock, sounding like Stand Atlantic, Hey Monday, and a rock version of Against The Current.
“Paper Cut,” the second single off the album, feels like it was ripped from the pages of the early 2000s. The three and a half minute track deals with toxic people and the regret we face for giving them second chances. It’s quite clear when vocalist Rachel Lauren sings, “I didn’t care what you have done before / But I don’t think that I can take much more / Part of me thought you were just misguided/ It’s clear to see that feelings were one-sided.”
Speaking of Lauren, her vocals soar above the band, sounding like an angel. The rest of the band, drummer Marc Lyle and guitarists Daniel Kerns and Michael Henthorn, back her up with their hypnotic melody. Their rough, rock vibe fits in perfectly with her poppy vocals.
The track is overall solid and gets you pumped for whenever Fight Back comes out later in the year. If this is your first time hearing about The Wild & Free, then you’re gonna enjoy the new album.
Punk Goes Prenatt 