Wild Child - The Runaround Review
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rating: 2.5
Wild Child's sophomore release, 'Runaround', is indicative of a band ready to command the attention of the mainstream. The group made a tentative entrance into commercial consciousness earlier this year with stop-go single 'All The Years' soundtracking the Purina cat food 50th anniversary advertisement, and their latest release comprises many singles befitting of potential future commercials. The unforgettable whistled hook in 'Crazy Bird', for example, would slot rather neatly into an advert for an Apple iPod. It is yet to be seen if this style will bolster their critical roster following accolades for 'Best Indie Act' and 'Best Folk Act' at this year's Austin Music Awards, but it is sure to enhance their accessibility. Regrettably, the more marketable direction the band have edged toward in 'Runaround' has resulted in a dilution of the quirky, innovative sound that made debut album 'Pillow Talk' so exciting. Exacerbating this issue is its slick, pristine production that ultimately leaves the body of work feeling somewhat flat and lacklustre. That's not to say the album lacks any great moments: rather, those moments could have been better complimented with a raw, bare-to-the-bones production style. In spite of this, Kelsey Wilson's rich tonal depth and authentic vocal affectations melt the eardrums, and the intriguing musical relationship of Wilson and Alexander Biggins still creates many a memorable melody that render 'Runaround' a satisfying, if not spectacular listen.
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The album opens strongly with its title track, a song driven by an infectious piano hook and a showcase of Wilson's breathy, haunting upper register - as well as her ability to leap around an expansive range with incredible ease. It is a melodically unrelenting and vocally audacious opener that augers well for the rest of the album. 'Victim to Charm' follows with a more mellow and restrained tone, featuring a Wilson and Biggins vocal to-and-fro layered above the simple but effective violin and piano interplay. The aforementioned hook in 'Crazy Bird' switches the album right back to unabashedly catchy pop-folk, completing a troika of excellent tunes. Unfortunately, track four signals the beginning of mid-album filler. 'Coming Home' contains an uncharacteristically forgettable main melody and fails to leave the listener feeling anything but apathy. 'Stitches' feels completely disjointed: it jumps from being sombre and reflective to rousing within the first 90 seconds, then descends into odious 'da da da' and 'ba da ba ba ba' refrains for the remainder. The song simply tries to do too many things at once. Conversely, successor 'Anna Maria' fails to really go anywhere. The dual vocals are nice enough, and the ukelele riff at least shapes it into a cohesive track, but much like 'Coming Home', it doesn't inspire.