Wallows Offers More: EP Review
Album art by Ryder McLaughlin
Popular indie rock band Wallows has followed up their successful summer album Model with a new EP, More. More includes seven songs, three previously included as B-sides on exclusive vinyl pressings of Model singles. With these new songs, More acts as a deluxe version of Model. The songs are reminiscent of the more laid-back tracks from Model, with a stronger rock sound. The three music videos released for More reflect the EP’s low-key vibe while delivering a solid story. The title More expresses not only the obvious fact that these are additional songs but also the fact that the songs themselves are deeper or more introspective than they appear.
The EP opens with “Not Alone,” which sets the moody tone for the rest of the EP with its pained lyrics and continuous synth. It seems to act as a sequel to its Model A-side, “Bad Dream.” Reminiscing about a past relationship brings regret as the speaker loved their partner “more than you will ever know.” However, there’s an understanding that both parties are where they’re meant to be and that “we’re okay, we’re still not alone, still not alone.” Braeden Lemasters leads this track as well as several others on this EP, which is a welcome balance after Dylan Minnette dominated Model.
“Deep Dive” is the slower and more desperate B-side to Model’s hit single “Calling After Me.” Minnette and Lemasters’ alternating vocals add to the rhythmic cadence of the song. The song details the hidden depths of the speaker’s affection.
The energetic “Coffin Change” serves as the EP’s lead single and a thematic linchpin. The EP’s title doesn’t just refer to the obvious fact there are seven more songs; it also encompasses Wallows’ search for “more.” In “Coffin Change,” they wonder whether there is “more, more to death than dying / More, more than life to live.” They propose living life to its fullest potential.
The continuous percussion of “Hide It Away” adds to the song’s anxiety about getting older and the fear of losing relevance. The stream-of-consciousness lyrical style and mounting drumming illustrate the speaker’s cognitive dissonance of wanting to hide their pain while knowing it’s necessary to feel and express it. In this case, there is “more” emotion than is revealed on the surface.
In “Your New Favorite Song,” the speaker wonders about the current state of a past lover. It’s a calm, acoustic track. Although simplistic, the music video accompanies the song’s story well. A shaky camera follows Minnette around barren woods as he listens to old voicemails. The dizzying cinematography reflects the disorienting despondency of the lyrics.
“Learn to Love Again” offers a glimmer of hope as the speaker seeks to ease their lover’s trepidations and self-hate.
An echoing and melodic reprise of “Deep Dive” concludes the EP. More has served as a deep dive into the speaker’s mind, dredging up “more” than what is apparent on the outside.
For fans of Wallows, More offers just that. After the lighter Model, More offers deeper introspection, yearning, and a stronger alternative rock sound. New fans may be attracted to the energy in “Coffin Change” but might be best served by listening to the band’s earlier albums first. For fans who want more of More, the EP will be offered on vinyl and CD as a Record Store Day First Release on April 12th at local participating record stores before being released to major retailers. The Model and More Tour, supporting both releases, begins on May 1 in Sacramento, CA, and will continue across the US and Mexico. Festival dates in the US, UK, and Europe begin mid-summer.