Review
Wild Pink
Yolk in the Fur

Tiny Engines (2018) Brendan Hilliard

Wild Pink – Yolk in the Fur cover artwork
Wild Pink – Yolk in the Fur — Tiny Engines, 2018

Any band's second album is cause for concern. It can go two ways - a retread of the first, a brand new direction, or something entirely forgettable. Yolk in the Fur is none of those. In every way, it's the sound of a New York-based Wild Pink accumulating mass, becoming something bigger than they seemingly ever intended, reaching beyond what they previously thought possible and forging something far different than you'd expect from a band out of New York City. 

Opener “Burger Hill” is an excellent table setter, kicking off the record with placid synths and reverb-heavy guitar. “Lake Erie” is a majestic, sweeping single reminiscent of the last few The War on Drugs albums, while “Jewels Drossed in the Runoff” with it’s crashing riffs and Ross’s slightly above-a-whisper voice creating a song that’s both anthemic as it is gorgeous. Shortly thereafter comes “There Is A Ledger”, that churns only in a way that 1980’s pop-rock singles do - it’s a hard sound to describe here, but the jangly guitars and whooping synth feel so out of time but amazingly refreshing. 

Yolk in the Fur is a major leap forward for Wild Pink. It communicates that they’re a band that’s deploying only a modicum of their skillset. The first two records show potential and possibility. Whatever is next feels like the scope will be much wider. Wild Pink’s wave is about to crest. This is your chance to catch it.

Wild Pink – Yolk in the Fur cover artwork
Wild Pink – Yolk in the Fur — Tiny Engines, 2018

Related news

New video and tour info from Restorations

Posted in Bands on July 22, 2018

Recently-posted album reviews

The Phase Problem

The Power Of Positive Thinking
Brassneck Records (2024)

I spent a good part of the late ‘90s annoyed at the abundance of Ramonescore. I’ll stand by my word: many of the bands of that era were carbon copies that didn’t bring anything new to the format. But time has passed and what was overdone is now a refreshing change of pace. For whatever reason, when I hear a … Read more

Totally Slow

The Darkness Intercepts
Refresh Records (2024)

I find Totally Slow a hard band to categorize. Their brand of melodic, hard punk is familiar and comforting -- rooted in ‘80s hardcore, ‘90s skatepunk, and post-something guitar-driven rock. The press release namedrops Dag Nasty and Hot Snakes, among others, which I think are good starting points. But while it’s familiar, it’s absolutely not a carbon copy. Like their forebearers, the songs … Read more

Steamachine

City of Death
Records Workshop (2023)

City Of Death is the third album from Polish noise makers Steamachine. Having dabbled in a few metal styles over their career, City Of Death has a heavy carnival influence to it which I have to say I really like. It's interesting just how much more sinister things sound when you pump eerie, jingly circus sounds amongst very dark, heavy, … Read more