Wild Rivers Release New Album 'Never Better'
The group will also embark on an extensive headline tour this fall with special guests Jade Bird and Lily Meola.
By: Josh Sharpe Jul. 31, 2024
Never Better, the anticipated new album from Platinum-selling trio Wild Rivers—Khalid Yassein, Devan Glover and Andrew Oliver—is out now on Nettwerk Music Group. In conjunction with the release, a new video for the title track has also debuted. Watch/share the video, directed by Hannah Gray Hall and produced by Weird Candy, HERE.
Produced by Wild Rivers and Gabe Wax (Soccer Mommy, Adrienne Lenker) and recorded in Joshua Tree, CA, Never Better reflects on the band’s past few years, as they faced burnout, mental health challenges and extended periods on the road, while also rediscovering the joy of making music together. Across these eight tracks, including previously released songs, “Backfire,” “Anyways, I Love You,” “Cave” and Everywhere I Go,” Wild Rivers is their most free and authentic self, as they return with a new level of confidence and an energized creative perspective.
The release adds to an already notable year for Wild Rivers, whose breakout single, “Thinking ‘Bout Love,” was recently certified RIAA Gold in the United States, following previous certifications in Canada (Platinum) and Australia (Gold). Additionally, the group will embark on an extensive headline tour this fall with special guests Jade Bird and Lily Meola. Upcoming stops include New York’s Irving Plaza (two nights, one sold out), Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Los Angeles’ Fonda Theater, Boston’s Paradise Rock Club (sold out), Austin’s Scoot Inn (sold out), Chicago’s Vic Theater, Denver’s Ogden Theater (sold out), Seattle’s The Showbox and San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom among many others. See below for complete tour itinerary. Full details can be found at www.wildriversmusic.com/tour.
Reflecting on the new music, the group shares, “We approached this record with the mindset, ‘this is who we are.’ We aren’t pretending to be something we’re not, or trying to sound like anyone else. We wanted it to feel easy. We wanted the stories to be real. We wanted to show our true selves as best we could. We’re proud of who we’ve become as people and as a team. We truly feel like we’re having the most fun with music that we’ve ever had, and in the most exciting stage of our lives. We’re never better.”
Formed during their time at Queen’s University in Ontario, Wild Rivers has released two full-length albums to date including 2022’s Sidelines, which landed at #9 on the U.S. Spotify Debut Album Chart. Released to critical acclaim, Under The Radar praised, “expertly straddles the lines between folk and indie, offering an empathetic and enveloping comfort and a piece of poignant pop beauty,” while American Songwriter declared, “Soul-stirring…rich male/female harmonies bring the emotional lyrics to life.” Since the release of Sidelines, Wild Rivers has also been nominated for Breakthrough Group of The Year at the 2023 JUNO Awards, garnered over 800 million global streams, with 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify and joined artists such as The Chicks and Noah Kahan on the road.
NEVER BETTER TRACK LIST
1. Never Better
2. Cave
3. Everywhere I Go
4. Dance
5. Backfire
6. Hardly Ever
7. Anyways, I Love You
8. Morongo Valley (Interlude)
WILD RIVERS CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
July 26—Calgary, Alberta—Calgary Folk Music Festival
August 2—Montreal, QC—Osheaga Festival
August 10—Edmonton, Alberta—Edmonton Folk Festival
August 15—Peterborough, Ontario—Peterborough Folk Festival
August 18—Elora, Canada—Riverfest Elora
September 3—Philadelphia, PA—Theatre of Living Arts*
September 4—New York, NY—Irving Plaza* (SOLD OUT)
September 5—New York, NY—Irving Plaza*
September 7—Boston, MA—Paradise Rock Club* (SOLD OUT)
September 9—Washington, D.C.—Lincoln Theater* (SOLD OUT)
September 10—Charlotte, NC—The Underground* (SOLD OUT)
September 11—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium*
September 15—Dallas, TX—The Studio at The Factory*
September 16—Austin, TX—Scoot Inn* (SOLD OUT)
September 17 – Houston, TX – Heights Theater*
September 19—Atlanta, GA—Variety Playhouse* (SOLD OUT)
September 21—Louisville, KY—Bourbon & Beyond
September 22—Chicago, IL—Vic Theater+
September 23—Minneapolis, MN—First Avenue+
September 25—Milwaukee, WI—Turner Hall Ballroom+
September 26—St. Louis, MO—Delmar Hall+
September 28—Kansas City, MO—The Truman+
September 30—Denver, CO—Ogden Theater+ (SOLD OUT)
October 1—Boulder, CO—Boulder Theater+
October 2—Salt Lake City, UT—The Complex+
October 4—Portland, OR—Revolution Hall+ (SOLD OUT)
October 6—Seattle, WA—The Showbox+
October 7—Vancouver, BC—The Orpheum+
October 9—San Francisco, CA—Regency Ballroom+
October 11—Los Angeles, CA—The Fonda Theater+
October 12—San Diego, CA—The Observatory North+ (SOLD OUT)
November 2—Groningen, Netherlands—Take Root
November 4—Berlin, Germany—Hole44
November 6—Cologne, Germany—Die Kantine
November 8—Zurich, Switzerland—Plaza
November 10—Paris, France—La Maroquinerie
November 13—Glasgow, Scotland—QMU
November 15—Dublin, Ireland—Button Factory (SOLD OUT)
November 17—Bristol, U.K.—SWX
November 19—London, U.K.—O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
November 22—Manchester, U.K.—Manchester Academy
November 24—Birmingham, U.K.—O2 Institute
November 26—Leeds, U.K.—Project House
November 27—Cardiff, U.K.—Tramshed
December 6—Toronto, ON—History
*with special guest Jade Bird
+with special guest Lily Meola
Photo Credit: Weird Candy
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