On March 28, Wallows released the “More” EP. This release comes on the heels of their third studio album, “Model,” last year. Wallows embarked on the Model & More Tour in February and is set to continue touring North America and the UK from May through August. Despite the two releases clearly being in conversation with each other, as the tour name suggests, “More” is quite a different entity from “Model.” While “Model” is melodic, “More” is rhythmic.
The leader of the rhythm section, drummer Cole Preston, graduated from USC Thornton School of Music in 2018, the same year Wallows released their first EP, “Spring.” Since then, Preston and bandmates Dylan Minnette and Braeden Lemasters have skyrocketed to fame, now boasting over 8 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
As a proud one of 8 million, I approached “More” expecting the same Wallows I fell in love with in 2018. As a fan, I had very high expectations and an admittedly biased perspective, so it’s possible the EP was doomed in my mind from the start. Upon my first listen, I admit I was somewhat let down, but after listening probably hundreds of times, I came to appreciate Wallows’ development.
Wallows’ earlier music is a traditional bass, guitar and drums line up, and their later works have made use of synthesizer, giving it a more modern feel. Both seem to be equally popular among fans with their debut single “Pleaser” still being in their top five most streamed songs, along with “Calling After Me” from their latest album.
On the one hand, if a particular sound has been working for them, why change it up? But on the other hand, how boring—and just plain impractical—would it be if they never developed? Stagnation is impossible in artistry. Artists themselves can never go a day without learning and changing, and this should impact the kind of art they are inspired to make.
When I gave the EP a real chance, removed all of my preconceived notions about the kind of music that Wallows typically makes, and judged “More” as an independent piece of work, I enjoyed it so much… well, more.
Wallows’ storytelling style is usually in the first person, making excessive use of the second person pronoun “you” to address the listener, or rather the anonymous person with whom Wallows has had a fraught romantic relationship since their debut single “Pleaser.”
At the moment, there seem to have been some bumps in the road since we last left Wallows and the mysterious object of their affections, “you.” While many of the tracks on “Model” like “You (Show Me Where My Days Went),” “Only Ecstasy” and “She’s an Actress” are all positive tributes to “you,” the beginning of “More” suggests something has gone wrong. The first track is moody and the lyrics reflect what could be construed as a pessimistic tone, or simply a more mature one.
The first song, “Not Alone,” sets the tone with an upbeat drum beat and synth that sounds almost static-like. It is overwhelming at first. If you were hoping to be put in a relaxed or cheerful mood, Wallows is not delivering. But the music is certainly engaging and all-encompassing, reflecting the extended metaphor in the lyrics as Lemasters and Minnette sing about trying and failing to count sheep. This theme of sleepless nights connects to Wallows’ previous release “Bad Dream,” a story of “you” tossing and turning, preventing the singer from getting any shut-eye. Well, it seems the exhaustion has fully set in.
Shifting into “Deep Dive,” Wallows takes a poetic turn. In the simple rhyme scheme, the repetition of the rhythm and the soft tone of the vocals, and the call and response style of the chorus, the song ebbs and flows as if we were taking an actual dive into the stream of Wallows’ consciousness. As the meandering melody rocks back and forth, the calm cruising is interrupted by four sharp strums of the guitar.
A glittering glissando transitions us into the next track from which I suspect the EP derives its name, “Coffin Change.” Its opening line begins, “There’s more to life than living/More to life than this.”
“Coffin Change” is a highlight on the EP for me, from the first moment the quick strums and upbeat rhythm contrast the lyrics, which question “Is therе more, more to death than dying?/Morе, more than life to live?/If time, time will outrun me/Then why do I still run?” In the hectic present moment, the tedious delirium of daily life can sometimes feel pointless. Given all that is going on in the world, I’ve been wondering the same thing.
They continue on energetically with “Hide it Away,” which drives on at an unrelenting pace. From start to finish, the song’s tempo stays at a pretty consistent breakneck speed. In direct contrast, it is followed up by “Your New Favorite Song,” which is both a huge presumption as well as a huge tonal shift, as the saxophone introduces Minnette’s soft, slow, sustained vocals. While it is a calming come-down from the previous song, the best part of the song is the ending, as it signals that my actual favorite song on the EP is beginning.
“Learn to Love Again” is aptly named for its shift in tone, not only musically with a piano-driven melody, but lyrically as well, as Wallows and “you” have apparently reconciled. I can relate to the lyrics as I have been slowly getting on board with the EP, and at this point finally, “I can hear the sound/I knew this day would come around/When you’d see/It’s already begun/You know you’re not just anyone to me/You learned to love again.” The soft verses, just Minnette and the piano, build to full band choruses with the drums acting as a heartbeat. In the final chorus, the drums switch from 4/4 time to 2/4 time, marching towards the last song.
“Deep Dive Reprise” is a fitting end to the EP as Wallows chastises me for my doubt and assures me that they’d never let me down, singing, “I hope that you know (I will never run your heart around)/I hope that you know (I will never ever let it drown).” The high pitched echo of the lyrics is haunting in a surprisingly beautiful way, complementing Minnete’s lower voice.
I have come to appreciate the consistency of their songwriting quality, as well as their willingness to take risks and experiment with different instrumentation. Their sound is constantly evolving from the stripped-down sound of “Spring” to the heavily synthesized “Remote.” “More” seems to be a new confident version of the band, and it might well leave you wanting… more.