Review by Shannon Shumaker
The Wild Type is the mellow, emotional and haunting new release from singer-songwriter, Mark Rose. Carried heavily by soft, pretty guitar and piano, soothing vocals and lyrics that will reach out and touch you, The Wild Type, while very personal, is easy to relate to, and even easier to get lost in.
“Well & Diet” is the quiet first track of the album, and while it doesn’t necessarily begin with a bang, it is incredibly beautiful. Kicking off with soft and pretty guitar picking, “Well & Diet” is a good opener, especially when the vocals come in. Rose doesn’t have to scream to get his point across, and when the emotional chorus comes in, it’s hard not to fall in love.
“The One Where It Didn’t Work Out” feels quite a bit warmer and more soothing than the first track, with strong bass lines and lyrics that are real and relatable, such as lines like, “When the worst things always happen to the very best guys/When the truth is that it’s just a little bit easier to lie.” “You Come Along” follows “The One Where It Didn’t Work Out,” and feels more funky than the first two songs, but still has that same mellow energy that the entirety of The Wild Type has. The difference in sound, while a surprising change from the moody first two songs, is fun to listen to. “You Come Along” is catchy as hell and it takes no time at all to forget about the somewhat shaky transition. While Rose’s soft vocals definitely shine on the more haunting tracks on the album, he also proves his versatility as a vocalist by adapting and commanding this catchy track.
Going right back to the start is the next song, “Georgeiana,” which starts with beautiful acoustic guitar picking and soft vocals. The chorus, while still rather mellow, is bigger than many of the other tracks on the album, making it memorable.
While the mellow and sometimes haunting feel of The Wild Type is a very strong and prominent aspect of the album, making it very easy to listen to, it also tends to make some of the songs sound similar or blend together. There aren’t necessarily any big or explosive moments on the album, and while there doesn’t need to be, it does make it a little hard to pick out the standout moments. That’s not to say that there aren’t some tracks that really shine, however. The difference in sound between “You Come Along” and “Georgeiana” is a great example of this, as is “Better Half,” which comes a couple of tracks later. “Better Half” is a fun listen because of its electronic elements, making it stand apart from many of the other songs on the album.
Another strong track is “Phone Call From Chicago,” which is a little warmer and more upbeat than the tracks surrounding it. “Phone Call From Chicago” is upbeat and catchy, leading The Wild Type into a strong end with the following final two songs, “Reflect You” and “Six Floors Down.” “Reflect You” slows things down again, and is as close to a ballad as Rose gets on this album. “Six Floors Down” is the emotional closer, carried heavily by piano and vocals, growing bigger and bigger as it progresses before bringing The Wild Type to a strong close. With subtle variances in sound and emotional, soft vocals, The Wild Type is an easy and captivating, and something that will keep listeners waiting eagerly for more.
Rating: 4/5
Listen to “You Come Along” or “Well & Diet”
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