A dreamy indie rock song full of Western warmth and wonder, Wilderado’s new single “In Between” is at once a reverie, a reckoning, and a soul-stirring surrender.
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Stream: “In Between” – Wilderado
Anything having to do with horses is a bit mystical, so when the opening line happened I wanted to follow through with this notion that somehow, horses always know what’s going on before we do, and to trust where they go.
For as much as we try to find order in the chaos and calm in the storm, there’s no escaping instability in this world. Life is naturally unpredictable – a beast that can’t be tamed – and while we do our best assert ourselves every day, we’re never fully in control, and we never will be. That kind of insecurity and helplessness can be paralyzing to many, but on their latest single, Oklahoma’s Wilderado offer another route: A solution that finds us riding the waves, rather than swimming against the tide when things don’t go as planned. A dreamy indie rock song full of Western warmth and wonder, “In Between” is at once a reverie, a reckoning, and a soul-stirring surrender. In not so many words, Wilderado assure us that it’s okay to loosen our grip and let go a bit; to put our trust and faith in a higher power, and let time take its course.
does anybody know
where the pretty horses go?
i see deep inside their eyes
they’re headed down to Mexico
that’s where my baby’s from
and where she longs to be
there’s a song that sits and waits for her
that she’s always sung to me
it’s somewhere between here and now
somewhere in between right here,
right here and now
Released August 30, 2023 via Bright Antenna Records, “In Between” is a stunning late summer soundtrack ready to envelop our ears and assuage our hearts. The band’s first new single in two years acts as something of a go-between, connecting Wilderado’s critically acclaimed self-titled debut album – which they’ve been touting and touring since its release in 2021 – with their forthcoming sophomore record, set to release in 2024.
Featuring Wilderado upon its release, Atwood Magazine praised the record as “a charged and charming” set of songs that “stir both the heart and mind”: “Radiant, intimate, and roaring, the self-titled Wilderado lights a fire within as the Tulsa indie rockers dive into the depths of life, sharing stories of personal growth and resilience, pain, loss, and more,” we wrote at the time. Highlights from that album include the Top 10 Alternative Radio hits “Head Right” and “Surefire,” the latter of which continues to make waves in both the indie rock and alt-folk worlds.
“In Between” carries the same alluring grit and zeal as the songs off Wilderado’s debut, albeit with a more relaxed and laid-back ease befitting September’s late-summer season. The sun still hangs heavy in the sky these days, but the days are slowly getting shorter, the nights longer. All we can really do is soak up the rays while they’re here, shining down on us; soak up the moment and make the most of it.
For Wilderado’s Max Rainer (lead singer, guitarist), Tyler Wimpee (guitarist, vocals), and Justin Kila (drums), “In Between” is both an indulgence and an escape.
“There’s a western landscape to the song that we started chasing once the second verse came about, and we realized there was an opportunity to make it sound like our home here in Oklahoma,” Rainer tells Atwood Magazine, “Like, what cheesy little lick would be in an old Garth or Joe Diffie tune? We were all laughing trying to come up with it and ended up loving the part. The song is mostly about being comfortable existing in the places where we’re unsure. However, anything having to do with horses is a bit mystical, so when the opening line happened, I wanted to follow through with this notion that somehow, horses always know what’s going on before we do, and to trust where they go.”
palomino running where the desert meets the sun
there’s a million ways to go from here
a million ways and one
up to Oklahoma where my baby sits with me
how much longer will she stick around
i guess we wait and see
Recorded in Norman, Oklahoma and produced by Chad Copelin (Sufjan Stevens, Andrew Belle, SYML) and James McAlister (Gracie Abrams, The National), “In Between” came about during the sessions for Wilderado’s forthcoming sophomore album, but the band hasn’t necessarily named it as one of the record’s singles – making it more likely a standalone, perfectly-titled “in-between” track.
“[It’s] one of those songs that fell out while struggling to write several other tunes,” Rainer explains. “We paused in a moment of frustration while at the studio and found a riff Justin had written several years back. The song appeared as a reprise in the space caused by exhaustion, writer’s block, and imposter syndrome. There’s an easy nature to it that seemed to form itself. The lyrics came in with the melodies and all we really did was sit around and enjoy it. Then we had to go back to working on the others.”
“In Between” arrives alongside a heartwarming music video that captures the Sooner State’s natural essence – of scenic lush prairies and vast, sweeping great plains – with the unmistakeable bond between horses and their riders.
“The idea was to capture the landscape here in Oklahoma and give an example of somewhere in between right here and now,” Rainer shares. “I carry no real burden to explain lyrics, most [sic] the time I figure if it were easily clarified it wouldn’t be a song. However I had high hopes of using a visual to further the notion of “somewhere in between right here and now.” It’s a sensation that haunts me, the zip from one side to the other. These large leaps in time seem to be the distance between my finger and thumb.”
it’s somewhere between here and now
somewhere in between right here,
right here and now
Since the band’s inception in 2015, Wilderado’s music has captured the expansive, breathtaking warmth and natural wonder of the West. “In Between” is a spellbinding return that speaks to their time-tested charisma and effortless charm. It’s an immersive and enchanting late-summer soundtrack, as well as a tender, triumphant amuse-bouche for fans as Wilderado prepare to enter their next “era,” ushering in their sophomore album.
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Stream: “In Between” – Wilderado
Tour Dates
tickets & more info @ wilderado.co!
9/23 @ Marquee Theatre in Tempe, AZ
9/24 @ Life is Beautiful in Las Vegas, NV
9/26 @ Fox Theatre in Boulder, CO
9/27 @ Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins, CO
9/29 @ Tannahill Tavern in Fort Worth, TX
9/30 @ Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City, OK
10/1 @ Treeline Festival in Columbia, MO
10/3 @ Thalia Hall in Chicago, IL
10/4 @ The Basement East in Nashville, TN
10/6 @ Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA
10/7 @ Riverfront Revival Fest in Charleston, SC
10/8 @ Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, NC
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© Laura Webster
© Laura Webster
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