- Release date:
- July 29, 2008
- Artist/Band name:
- Wild Sweet Orange
- Record label:
- Canvasback
- Official Web Site:
- http://www.wildsweetmusic.com/
Backstory: Falling on the radio-friendly musical map somewhere between Coldplay and Elliott Smith, with a dash of Dashboard Confessional thrown in for good measure, this Alabama indie rock outfit grew out of the church choir meet-ups of singer Preston Lovinggood (yes, that is his real name) and drummer Chip Kilpatrick. It wasn't long before the band had two EPs beneath its belt and tour slots with Counting Crows and the Whigs, setting the table for this emotional debut.
Why you should care: Lovinggood's heart bleeds for the world, and the world will no doubt bleed back. His suburban angst has been done before, but it will likely find no shortage of listeners who identify with his domestic tales of strife and wonder.
Verdict: Winsome tales of playing football in the front yard while the family falls apart on "Sour Milk." Speaking in tongues in the bathroom on the adult-alternative weeper "Ten Dead Dogs." Stomach aches over love and loss in the living room on "Tilt." Can you tell Wild Sweet Orange needs to get out of the house? Perhaps so, but its songs of stifled youth are ear candy for Generation Xbox and beyond. The epic "Aretha's Gold" takes a tortured trip through bedrooms, gardens, schools and swimming pools before reaching its emo apotheosis nearly seven minutes later in a maelstrom of distortion and Lovinggood's worn-out throat. Kids seeking catharsis should find home here; for the rest of us, well, these oranges are an acquired taste.
X-Factor: But even the over-30 demographic has taken a bite: Orange's "Land of No Return" showed up on "Grey's Anatomy."
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