Wilderado

When Wilderado began writing songs for their second album, Talker, the idea of chasing after their debut record’s success — including pair of Top 10 hits on alternative radio — couldn’t have been further from their minds. A dynamic record that finds Wilderado reframing their purpose and broadening their perspective. It’s the sound of three musicians shrugging off the allure of success and, instead, embracing the thrill of the unknown.

Like all of Wilderado’s releases, Talker blurs the boundaries between genres, creating a multi- sided sound — soft-hued and subdued one moment; anthemic and buoyant the next — that defies categorization. With “Sometimes,” Rainer pulls back the curtain to expose the skeletons in his own closet, including the coping mechanisms that most keep under wraps. He gets personal during “Tomorrow,” too, turning a hypnotic guitar pattern from bandmate Tyler Wimpee into the launchpad for a song that tackles big topics like religion and being trapped in a search for God.

He got collaborative, too. In addition to writing songs with his two bandmates — guitarist Wimpee and drummer Justin Kila — Rainer also teamed up with the British band Flyte, whom Wilderado had met in London while on tour in 2022. Together, they created songs like “Longstanding Misunderstanding,” writing the track during a 25-minute burst of creation in the recording studio. “A big part of my growing process with this album was learning to ask for help, which isn’t easy for me to do,” he admits. “But it turned out so beautiful, every time I did.”

Wilderado aren’t chasing after hits. They’re just being themselves — and enjoying it. With Talker, they’ve hit a new stride, fueling themselves up on sharp songwriting and adventurous arrangements before setting off toward some new horizon. This is Wilderado at their best: inspired, invigorated, and answering to nobody but themselves.