Having wowed listeners and live audiences with their captivating 2016 record “Basements: Music To Fight Hypocrisy”, Spanish unforgettable power pop punk rockers WILD ANIMALS are back with their new album called ‘The Hoax’! Churning out two earworm, fine textured and soulful records is no easy feat, but they did it!
The record was surely well worth the wait. The Madrid based band have experted their mesmerising vocals and utterly catchy melody lines that gained them a place alongside the genre’s best, while “The Hoax” blossom WILD ANIMALS into one of the finest hearty, emotive, indie power pop punk bands to watch out for. Their new offering serves as a soulful, sun-soaked album perfect for repeat listening this Spring, and it should find its way onto year end lists this coming December.
The Hoax comes out April 27th via Lauren Records (U.S.), BCore Disc (Spain), La Agonía de Vivir (Spain), Pifia Records (Spain), Epidemic Records (Italy), Inhumano Records (Chile) and Waterslide Records (Japan).
The party (and corresponding hangover) of Wild Animals’ celebrated first album “Basements: Music to fight hypocrisy” (2016) has lasted over two years. The Madrid based power trio have slowly conquered an ever increasing national and international audience, mainly supporting -and supported by- the underground scene, DIY, and in short, honouring the title of that first album.
Fast forward two years and the number of gigs the band have played can already be counted by the hundred, they have already toured Europe twice, done two tours around the United Kingdom and one in Japan, proving that Fon, Paula and Jamie definitely don’t suffer a lack of energy when it comes to hopping into the van and getting around. Especially the latter, Jamie also has his (very active) parallel project, Jamie 4 President, confirming his natural talent for creating guitar riffs and melodies that go straight to the heart.
The latest demonstration of Wild Animals’ hyperactivity is “The Hoax” (2018), ten new and extraordinary songs written between the three of them, full of personal stories, with open and critical views, nostalgia, it’s a toast to friendship, and includes melodies and fuel in equal parts. An ideology and aesthetic (they have yet again trusted the artwork to illustrator Manu Griñón) that has already proven to be a strong hallmark of the band.
The album starts with major hit, “Lost in translation”, where the band revive tour adventures. Nostalgia fills the albums second track “Science-fiction”, but also criticizes the dangerous power of isolation that smartphones and social media can cause. The album continues with “Interrupted girl”, a shout out for the normalisation of sexual freedom (sung with a folk-punk rhythm). We could go on until the last track of this bands album.
But it all comes to say that they are fully positioned before society. They live out experiences and tell stories in an endearing way, always looking to find and keep all that’s true, real and shared, in a more and more technified, manipulated and individualist world.
Musically, echoes of Superchunk, Sugar o Dinosaur Jr. are still present, but its their own personal sound that really stands out now, more and more cultivated, equally dirty as crystalline and full of details and songs that are perfect from start to end. Santi Garcia has again produced the album hand in hand with the band to create a unique sound, album after album, this time combining the acoustics of a Catalan masia (Cal Pau Recordings) for the drums with his renowned studio Ultramarinos Costa Brava, for the rest.
Text by Albert Riera.
WILD ANIMALS on tour:
May 11 – Madrid (Spain) @ Moby Dick + BULLITT + DANI LLAMAS | Tickets
May 25 – Barcelona (Spain) @ Begood + BULLITT + ULTIMATE FRISBEE | Tickets
May 26 – Sant Feliu de Guíxols (Spain) @ Atzavara BULLITT + ULTIMATE FRISBEE
May 7-10 – Hamburg (Germany) @ Booze and Cruise Festival
June 23- Oviedo (Spain) @ Lata de Zinc + AMPLIFY + TBC
July 6 – Valencia (Spain) @ Magazine + BATES MOTEL + TBC
July 7 – Castellón (Spain) @ BIF festival + SEÑOR NO + FUTURO TERROR + NOT SCIENTISTS
LOST IN TRANSLATION
A shocking transfer in Beijing and 26 hours later
were Turncoat standing there with open arms
they drove us through giant skyscrapers straight to the first show, we watched their set our minds collectively blownSo what if the vegan dish in an “indian” is really steak?
So what if you realize that the shrines are mostly fake?CHORUS
I had never been so confused, those 10 days lost in translation
I went for a walk nothing to loose I found myself in a fireman’s station
but I promise we’ll be back next year not later
KANPAI!Japanese Mascis welcomed us in a city that I don’t remember I turned my head for a moment and he had passed out
A guy from Kyoto came backstage and gave us an avocado then what he said it almost made us crySo what if Fon had a shitty night on stage cause (of) the gear?
So what if we slept on a tatami soaking with beer?CHORUS*
Kazu, quite frankly,
we’re tired and cranky
but we wanna explore
more record storesCHORUS*
(A shocking transfer in Beijing and 26 hours later
they drove us through giant skyscrapers straight to the first show)
(Kanpai! Kanpai! Kanpai!……….)
Science-fiction (no fiction at all)
Delete your profile photograph
then you turn invisible
This year my phone went smart to dumb
now I don’t hear from no one anymoreDating was tough but kind of fun when we were young,
tonight you’re only 3 matches awayCHORUS
The kids they do change
I’m not saying it’s their fault
A life in Hi-Def
Now science-fiction is not fiction at all
It really scares me
like a Black Mirror episode
Our lifes are up for sale
Now science-fiction is really not fiction at allAnd as I ride my bike through town
CCTV is filming me
I know I ain’t no movie star
but there is no privacy anymoreMy mom she didn’t have a clue when we were young,
tonight you can’t be late back homeCHORUS*
We spent our time in the arcade,
our second home back in sixth grade,
playing Tetris, Double Dragon
but Street Fighter was our favourite one
We spent our time in the arcade,
when I feel down I miss those games
Golden Axe, Pang, Bubble Bobble
but Street Fighter was our favourite one
INTERRUPTED GIRL
2005 hearing voices that screamed: “kid you’re looking depressed”, this one’s not about me.
It’s about a girl on the coast at the age of sixteen, feeling shameful and somewhat confused:
One night after a party waiting for a cab, 3 girls pulled up next to me I thought it was rad, I was supposed to get home later I don’t know how but we drove off nothing to loseYesterday’s fear has passed
today’s here,
now I see no gender
only joyAfter that morning the days passed quite slow
I was hanging up posters for a shitty show
On the street where she worked and I hung out in hope of seeing her sometime soon
I had some doubts about telling my Mum and I found myself hiding it from my closest ones
Even when they found out I didn’t kiss her when about
I was just interrupting myselfYesterday’s fear has passed
today’s here,
now I see no gender
only loveYears tumble down now I shout it out loud
There’s just one flag of which I’m proud
They fill their mouths with “normality”, but I’m not sure of what that really means
Years tumble down now I shout it out loud2018, I still don’t get why you can still be judged on who you wanna fuck
Yesterday’s fear has passed
today’s here,
now I see no gender
only joy
now I see no gender
only love
Screaming in Harmony
One night to break the rules, a new year to play the fools
let’s dance through dawn in the middle of nowhere.
My mate Hans doesn’t drink, he never slept a wink,
downstairs the speakers were screaming in harmonyShake up everyone else ’cause we’re on fire
and if he tried James couldn’t get no higher
This may have no end, we really should go nowLet’s go and cut some tunes, where we can see the moon
We’ll roast up peppers and weird kind of onionsShake up everyone else ’cause we’re on fire
and if he tried Santi couldn’t get higher
This may have no end, we really should go nowA true squat in Belgrade, my birthday in Vevey
Hungover driving the van to La SpeziaShake up everyone else ’cause we’re on fire
and even the poor dogs couldn’t get higher
This may have no end, we really should go nowA flat in Sant Feliu, familiar Winter views
All this and more you may find in my memory.
Everybody loves you when you’re dead
I stumbled out of bed this morning
As I went to light up my first smoke
Another phoney obituary
Another loaded star just gone awayYou know I wake up kind of grumpy
But the social media blocked my phone
The same old posts with empty RIPs
The same old live fast and die youngCHORUS
We all have our heroes
someone who inspired us
In life they were zeros
or they sold platinum
You can fall on indifference,
they’ll put you to bed
but don’t worry, it’s alright
they’ll all love you when you’re deadToday at breakfast the same story,
this one really shook me to the core
They were never popular on Mtv
but we still cover my favourite song
Never Forget
I remember you telling me all would be ok
but at the time I couldn’t really understand
Now I’ve grown older I realise we’all make mistakes
and I forgive you for that time you let me downAnd I will never forget driving the car
when you bought me my first guitar
and the day my father taught me my first chordsCHORUS
You know when you’re a kid no fear of aging
now you see your roles are changing
now your best friends are responsabilities
but we still chase our dreams
we still chase our dreams
we don’t forget our dreams!!!I remember you telling me I would learn one day
but in my teens I didn’t want to understand
Now I stand tall but still get lost inside this haze
but lately it’s me you come to when you need a handAnd I will never forget, age 12 embarrased
and my first school trip to Paris
you made the effort despite being broke cause the houseCHORUS*
I didn’t see it approaching but the time has finally come
now I see myself for hours on the phone
I never thought I’d be your tissue, dishing out advice
you know you still rock!And I will never forget those summer campsites
playing gymkhana until midnight
and every birthday my mum would make me the same cakeCHORUS*
All my friends are far away
Say goodbye, make it quick
last night I made myself sick
as your van leaves, see you in dreams
The next day back to work
consoled by the band we said we’d form
even if it never happensCHORUS
I feel I’m choking on this town
but when next summer comes around
we’ll see ourselves on stages
and I hope it will be for ages
then we’ll go back home to our minimum wagesMy dear folks don’t get it
they ask me if it’s worthwhile
when I’m not on tour I feel I’m wasting my time
It’s kind of weird but I miss more
Fon snoring sleeping on the floor
waking him up will never happenCHORUS*
And when this all is said and done we’re still a minority of one
Say hello sad routine
now I sit here gazing at the screen
I’ll see you on brighter days
play that record that says:
“Some friends are forever”
Pocketful of fears
I found myself with no teeth
Manson was feeding me
then he turned me into Coal
I’ve got a pocket full of fears but when I twist with them it’s okMy dog he loves flying
as high as Mcfly did
he disappeared with Biff
I’ve got a pocket full of fears but when I sleep with them it’s okCHORUS
I don’t want to fall into,
I don’t want to see life from upside down
when I’m sleeping in through, if you see me in there please pull me outMy fav band plays their song
I get up to play along
I don’t know a single note
I have a pocket full of fears but when I sing to them it’s okCHORUS*
I don’t want to fall into,
I don’t want to see life from upside down
when I’m sleeping in through, if you see me in there please pull me out
A place I’ve never fit into, say goodbye darkness my old friend
but I just may see you, may see you sometime next weekendAnd everytime I think I’ve seen the back of it,
reality grabs me by the arm.
Connection
My friend’s father inspired this song
when his furry soulmate died,
after 11 summers spent togetherIt did really pierce his heart,
he said “it feels like I’ve lost a son”
and the saddest words always come with a tearCHORUS
I can’t get you connect so deeply with an animal
then you don’t want to hear what you consume
It may upset you to find out the whole truth of this trade
you never gave a second chance to what I tried to sayFor sure you can relate to me
it’s no single case, it’s something
we’ve been fed since elementary5 same old stupid words that fail
The sound of nails on a chalkboard
I feel I’m screaming at a wallCHORUS*
I feel sad and irate at the same time, when i have
to deal with other people’s narrow views,
it’s hard to assume they’ll never make the connection
They won’t!All those forces use resources, we’re just numbers lost in slumber
All those forces fueled by gold, who push you back into a deep sleep, I don’t care I won’t be silent
He remembered in the dark, they were playing in the park, she was always by his side, unlike us they never lie and from the day he got divorced she changed his once supposed course of life, 11 years they were each other shadow.
Time rolled over they were lying on the sofa with a toy between her teeth she cured him of his grief and the day she lost a chunk of ear his body was possessed with fear. 11 years they were each others shadow.
A fitting way to say goodbye
This is an open letter in the form of a song
No need to mourn for me when I’m gone
No searching for the truth,
quite frankly I don’t have a clueDon’t sell me heaven or hell,
just give it to me straight
It’s been a long time since I read a fairytale
Good and evil that fight,
in life nothing is black or White.CHORUS
Don’t send me off in tears, no solemn dedication
I prefer my loved ones gather round singing in celebrationI’ve never been to church on my own accord
“The Gods” placed an allergy in me,
prayers that don’t ring true,
you know Mum this one is for youCHORUS*
Though I know it hurts a bit, you promised me we’d never quit even when “misery pure” was said and done
And that time we bust a tire, a fifteen minute show on fire and we’re still waiting for the summerCHORUS*
I’ve always thought my friends playing their songs all night would be a fitting way to say goodbye
