Wild Pink
Dulling The Horns
Fire Talk Records [2024]
“John Ross redefines Wild Pink with Dulling The Horns, an album as rugged as it is emotionally profound.”
Album Overview: Wild Pink, fronted by John Ross, emerged in the late 2010s and quickly gained recognition for their unique blend of rock, Americana, and raw honesty. With each record, the band attracted more attention—starting with Yolk In The Fur in 2018, and solidifying their standing with the expansive A Billion Little Lights in 2021. The band was on an upward trajectory when Ross was diagnosed with cancer, a life-altering event that heavily influenced the band’s 2022 release, ILYSM. That album grappled with mortality and personal upheaval. Coming out of that experience, Ross sought to redefine Wild Pink, leading to their latest work, Dulling The Horns. This album marks a departure from the polished, otherworldly sounds of Wild Pink’s previous records. Instead, it embraces a more rugged, raw rock approach, reflecting the personal and creative transformations Ross underwent. Dulling The Horns feels like a reset, stripping away the band’s previous studio precision in favor of a more immediate, lived-in experience. Thematically, the album revolves around life’s unpredictability, personal challenges, and the search for new meaning. From start to finish, Dulling The Horns offers an unfiltered, bigger sound while providing a glimpse into Ross’s state of mind as he navigates life post-cancer and parenthood. It’s one of those albums that only gets better with each listen.
Musical Style: Musically, Dulling The Horns shifts from the shimmering atmospherics of A Billion Little Lights to something more visceral and grounded. The songs center around guitar-driven rock, with distortion and grit enhancing a live, in-the-moment feel. While traces of the band’s earlier sound remain—occasional synth elements, pedal steel guitar, and subtle additions like saxophone and fiddle—the overall tone is rougher, less polished, and more focused on energy and texture. This creates a new dimension to Wild Pink’s evolving sound.
Evolution of Sound: Wild Pink reaches a pivotal moment with Dulling The Horns. The transition from the cinematic sweep of their earlier albums to a grittier, more immediate sound is striking. While ILYSM started this move toward a more organic approach, Dulling The Horns pushes it further. The expansive, lush soundscapes of previous records are replaced with something more muscular and direct. This evolution mirrors Ross’s personal journey, and Wild Pink’s sound remains authentic at its core.
Artists with Similar Fire: Fans of Neil Young, especially in his Crazy Horse era, will appreciate Dulling The Horns. The album’s ruggedness and looseness evoke comparisons to Young’s work with his iconic backing band. There are also shades of Bruce Springsteen’s rawer, more introspective moments, and echoes of Tom Petty’s grounded rock storytelling. More contemporary acts like Trace Mountains, Strand of Oaks, and War on Drugs come to mind as well. Wild Pink’s Americana influences are still present, but now filtered through a more unpolished, rock-driven lens.
Pivotal Tracks: “The Fences of Stonehenge” opens the album with a questioning refrain, “Do you still believe it?” setting the tone for the album’s exploration of meaning and renewal. “Eating The Egg Whole” stands out with its clever lyrics, juxtaposing mundane observations with existential reflection over a driving beat. “Sprinter Brain” is another rock radio ready track that shines for its personal anecdotes that convey deeper emotional truths, exploring Ross’s anxieties in a relatable way. The album closes with “Rung Cold,” a fitting slower track that feels ready for you to turn your camera light on and sway as it is the perfect resolution that ties together the themes of moving forward amid life’s chaos.
Lyrical Strength: Ross’s lyrics on Dulling The Horns combine humor, insight, and vulnerability. He weaves personal experiences, cultural references, and philosophical musings into songs that feel both intimate and expansive. His ability to balance stark emotional honesty with quirky, offbeat observations gives the album a unique lyrical depth. Some lyrics offer poignant reflections on life’s impermanence, while others are playful and unexpected, capturing the restless energy that defines the album.
WILD PINK REVIEW HISTORY
ILYSM (2022) / Yolk In The Fur (2018)
WILD PINK LINKS
Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Fire Talk Records
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