La Dispute- Wildlife

It’s almost not fair to make this album the first entry, as it’s one of my 2 or 3 favorites ever, and easily my most listened to in the years since its release. But the CD just came in so it hasn’t left my car player (No Sleep Records is having a sale like every week right now, go pick something up) and here we are.

Consistency has been one of the hallmarks of La Dispute’s young career. All three albums have not only been strong as a whole, but each have few holes in their tracklists. Wildlife’s interludes (“a Poem”, “a Letter”, etc) make the album a more uneven listening experience than the straightforward Somewhere at the Bottom of the River, but the album flows well, using the interludes to underscore the themes of the album while providing a respite from the maxed out emotional stakes. The main tracks are where the action is though, and for my money showcase a band at the peak of an already brilliant run. These are songs that are hard to imagine being made by any other band. Jordan Dreyer is in a class of his own as a lyricist as it is, and on Wildlife he does best work to date as a vocalist.

I’ve seen criticism that Wildlife represents a step back for the band instrumentally from Somewhere at the Bottom of the River. And maybe that’s true. Guitarists Kevin Whittmore and Chad Sterenberg have less room to flex on Wildlife, and the music doesn’t have quite the same ferociousness as Somewhere. But the music still complements the vocals and story very well- see the excellent bridge in “King Park”, or the guitar line through “Safer in the Forest”). You’re coming for the lyrics on this one- they’re too good to not be the prominent feature of the album. But after awhile you’ll find yourself staying for the music too.

I could go on for far too long about this album, so let’s cut it short. This is melodic post-hardcore (or flamenco) of the first-rate, with absolutely unrivaled lyrics and storytelling. One of the must-listen rock records of the last 5 years. 10/10.