ALBUM REVIEW: Wilder Maker - Male Models
Brooklyn's Wilder Maker return with their 5th studio album "Male Models" which follows 2020's "Ambient Jukebox"
The music aspect of the album was recorded over several days with chief songwriter and vocalist Gabriel Birnbaum as well as long-time collaborators Nick Frost and Sean Mullins. Whilst Gabriel is the band's frontman his vocals can only be heard on 7 of the 12 tracks with the remaining 5 featuring guest vocalists.
I wasn't sure how I was going to get on with "Male Models.” I can sometimes find modern indie a little drab or lacking compared to its older counterparts but I really enjoyed the record.
It's quirky and interesting with lots of guitar distortion. There's some funky elements and a lot of very jangly guitars.
The whole album is like Belle and Sebastian meets Super Furry Animals. It's beautifully lo-fi and plodding with some upbeat and eccentric aspects. It's dreamy and delicate.
One of my favourites is "A Professional" which features Felicia Douglass. It's magical. It draws you in and gets you hooked. Only thing I would have liked is to have heard Gabriel on lead vocals too, I think their voices would have worked well together.
"New Anxiety" which features Mutual Benefit has elements that reminded me of The Beatles. It's a really pretty song.
"Static" has some major danceability. It's upbeat, catchy and great fun.
Like a lot of the songs on the album "All Power Must Be Hidden" has some serious 90's Britpop vibes. The vocals are raw, unpolished and perfect. The chorus is really catchy and sounds so much like the Super Furries!
Featuring Katie Von Schleicher "Silver Car" is beautifully slow and seductive, the type of song you'd expect to hear in a smoky cabaret club.
The only song I didn't enjoy as much as the others was the end track "Jason" as I felt it brought the pace down too much and left me feeling a bit flat at the end of what had been an outstanding album.
“Male Models” is one of those albums that can be listened to intently taking in the full atmosphere of the record but can equally be put on as background music. It's very versatile and keeps giving the more you listen to it.
I recommend "Male Models" to anyone who likes interesting indie with a bit of quirk and lots of originality
