Wild Pink / ILYSM
Album: ILYSM   Collection:General
Artist:Wild Pink   Added:Jan 2023
Label:Royal Mountain Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2023-01-28 Pull Date: 2023-04-01
Week Ending: Apr 2 Mar 26 Mar 19 Mar 12 Mar 5 Feb 26 Feb 19 Feb 12
Airplays: 2 3 1 2 4 2 2 3

Recent Airplay
1. Apr 12, 2024: KZSU Time Traveler
Cahooting The Multiverse (Radio Edit)
4. Apr 07, 2023: KZSU Time Traveler
See You Better Now
2. Feb 16, 2024: KZSU Time Traveler
ILYSM
5. Mar 31, 2023: KZSU Time Traveler
The Grass Widow In The Glass Window (Radio Edit)
3. Apr 14, 2023: KZSU Time Traveler
Cahooting The Multiverse (Radio Edit)
6. Mar 30, 2023: Traditions
Hold My Hand

Album Review
Francis D
Reviewed 2023-01-25
“ILYSM” Wild Pink
Indie alternative, ranging from slowcore to heartland rock. 4th album from the NYC-based singer-songwriter, John Ross. Six months into writing the follow-up to 2021’s, A Billion Little Lights, Ross was diagnosed with cancer at age 34. Dealing with that (he’s currently in remission) inspired this essentially double album, ILYSM (I Love You So Much) The tracks range from melancholy and understated to anthemic — with arrangements from catchy indie to heavy, distorted guitar rock. Ross had help from numerous big-name artists on this album: J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.), Julien Baker (indie folk singer-songwriter), Peter Silberman (Antlers) and many more. RIYL: The War On Drugs, Broken Social Scene or Kurt Vile.
— Francis

Recommended: 9, 2, 4, 11, 1, 5, 12. FCCS on 1, 5, 10, 11 — all edited.

1. (4:43) Cahooting The Multiverse (Radio Edit) — Sparkling, sprawling cinematic ballad. Lovely keys and reverbed guitar. Vocals almost whispered. Exquisite. ***
2. (5:02) Hold My Hand — Lilting alt country ballad. Vocal duet with Julien Baker. Piano. Brushes on drums. A hint of pedal steel near the end. ****
3. (2:38) Hell Is Cold — Plodding and understated with swirling effects. Piano and a thumping drumbeat. Cuts off abruptly in mid-measure.
4. (6:20) ILYSM — Propulsive, arena synth pop with swelling vocals, piano and a big backbeat. Huge, sweeping walls of sound in the lead breaks. ****
5. (5:14) St. Beater Camry (Radio Edit) — Hushed, halting piano ballad. Sorrowful pedal steel guitar in the lead break. Duet with Samantha Crain. ***
6. (4:38) Abducted At The Grief Retreat — Otherworldly sound, with fuzzy guitar over droning synths and driving beat. Barely there, whispered vocals. Very War On Drugs. Brief break in middle, followed by instrumental trail-out.
7. (5:20) War On Terror — Deliberate, dirge-like feeling. Persistent crack of the snare, set against pedal steel moans. Captures Ross’ convalescence.
8. (4:05) Simple Glyphs — Mid-tempo guitar rock. Angular electric guitar with bumping bass. Playful acoustic guitar plus pedal steel in the lead break.
9. (3:58) See You Better Now — The single. Perfect pop rock. Confident strut with solid drum track, piano and J Mascis on guitar. Reminiscent of the Traveling Wilburys. Ends suddenly on guitar solo because this track segues into the next one. ****
10. (6:32) Sucking On The Birdshot (Radio Edit) — Starts and ends as over-the-top “sludge-metal,” with a tension-releasing bridge of piano and guitar.
11. (6:24) The Grass Widow In The Glass Window (Radio Edit) — Epic guitar-driven jam with lyrics about facing life’s trials in a positive way. ***
12. (5:19) ICLYM — Uplifting, strummy hopeful closer, with filtered vocals that sound phoned in. Coda to ILYSM — I Couldn’t Love You More. Long, heartfelt piano playout at end. **

Track Listing
1. Cahooting The Multiverse (Radio Edit)   7. War On Terror
2. Hold My Hand   8. Simple Glyphs
3. Hell Is Cold   9. See You Better Now
4. ILYSM   10. Sucking On The Birdshot (Radio Edit)
5. St. Beater Camry (Radio Edit)   11. The Grass Widow In The Glass Window (Radio Edit)
6. Abducted At The Grief Retreat   12. ICLYM