Track by Track is our recurring feature series in which artists guide readers through each song on their new release. Today, Wild Pink break down their wonderful new album, Dulling the Horns.
Wild Pink just keep getting better and better. Starting with their 2017 debut and culminating in 2022’s highly acclaimed ILYSM, songwriter John Ross and company have emerged as one of the most quietly consistent, compelling, and emotionally intelligent acts in indie rock. Now, as they return with the lively Dulling the Horns, they continue their streak of excellence, clearing the high bar they’ve set for themselves.
With Ross finding inspiration in everything from Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers to a Michael Jordan documentary to vivid dreams of close friends, the songs of Dulling the Horns feel wholeheartedly alive. The lyricism plays it a little looser than Wild Pink projects of the past, and the instrumentals kick the rock factor up a notch. You can hear the humans behind the performances as the band rips through driving anthem after driving anthem.
“Me and Justin Pizzoferrato, who engineered the record, were talking about The Blue Album [from Weezer] as inspiration for some of the guitars — not just amps, but chord shapes too,” Ross tells Consequence. “It was really fun to lean into making the guitars sound big, though, Justin Pizzoferrato is really good at that. Naming the record after this song felt like the right move. I think it represents the overall mood of the record pretty well,” he added, speaking on the title track.
It’s yet another high point for the band, and one that continues to push their sound into new, increasingly exciting territories. Stream Wild Pink’s Dulling the Horns in full below, and read on for John Ross’ Track by Track breakdown of the record.
You can also revisit our 2022 interview with Ross, in which he dives into ILYSM.
Wild Pink are currently on a tour of Europe and North America in support of Dulling the Horns. Tickets can be purchased here.