River Shook Strikes Out on Their Own in "Wildlands"
River Shook redefines themself while striking out on their own in their first release as a solo artist, "Wildlands" -- a full embrace of the self.
In another act of reinvention, River Shook gives us their rawest music yet. "Wildlands" is their first release as a solo artist, and it's one of Shook's most compelling. We have spoken with Shook in the past about their approach to music and identity – and the sweeping acoustic country of "Wildlands" speaks directly to that theme:
I was born a mountain more than you could take
Fire in me older than the sun
You came at me with your bridle like I was a horse to break
But that wouldn't be a fight that you won
Indeed, Shook seems to revel exploring all aspects of their voice. The song opens in their lower range, which you may be used to from their work with Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, but the song's emotional shift comes from the sense of freedom Shook finds in their upper register: this is a song where we can feel Shook embracing all aspects of themself. Shook has written about this evolution in the first issue of Rainbow Rodeo.
In addition to the smoldering outlaw country Shook became known for with the Disarmers, their indie rock project Mightmare found them pushing the outer bounds of musical intensity. "Wildlands" is a hint at what's to come: a seemingly more contemplative middle road that centers Shook's voice – sonically and metaphysically.
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