Album Review – The Wilder Blue’s “Still In The Runnin'”

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photo: Mackenzie Ryan


#570 (Americana) and ??? on the Country DDS.

If you’re looking for relief or reparations from the ills of life, you can reach for alcohol or other intoxicants to inoculate you from life‘s fickle and sometimes debilitating moods, or you can reach for the music of The Wilder Blue, and likely achieve more favorable results without the side effects. This isn’t sad boi country. It’s manna for the soul.

It’s silly to broach the subject of genre when speaking about The Wilder Blue, and borderline insulting to attempt to stuff their music into a country music box. Though country and roots are certainly the strongest influences at play here, these boys are much more interested in adhering to a mood as opposed to any sonic parameters. They let the songs choose their own paths, delight in being able to bring forth whatever instrumental accompaniment the song calls for, and then grace it with the band’s signature five part harmonies.

For some years, frontman and songwriter Zane Williams and the boys did this at a mostly regional level. But after finding a champion in Luke Combs, they’ve taken their sound and vibes to stadiums, and enjoyed elevated levels of support in the business, while also staying true to themselves and their novel, independent approach. Their new album Still In The Runnin’ is more of what you come to love from this band.

As the title track alludes to, this is a band of slightly older, but super talented also-rans from the Texas scene who after being cobbled together into a semi super group, struck magic, and are now coming up from behind. Zane Williams still has ample hunger and inspiration to pull from, penning an ode to the Texas Rangers (no, not the baseball team) to start the album off, a song about struggling to find your sense of place as a man of nature in the modern world, and another about finally finding a sense of home in the arms of another.


Meanwhile, good luck pigeonholing the sound from song to song. Or in the case of some songs like “When The Last Light Fades,” what you think you’re listening to changes from moment to moment. It starts off like a little Latin number with accordion, but with more of an island beat that a Tejano shuffle. Then the banjo comes in and you have no clue where to place it, but you sure do love it.

Sometimes you worry that without a sonic compass, The Wilder Blue could get lost in the shuffle, or get too cute at times. But it hasn’t bit them yet. After all, it’s really the songwriting of Zane Williams that comprises their foundation. There’s few who can’t relate to the song “Learnin’ My Lesson” that Zane sings with now retired Steel Woods frontman Wes Bayliss, or feel the words of “Pass It On Down” that has the easy disposition of a radio hit.

Then Williams outdoes himself with the final song. “The Queen of Austin” is so good, it might find itself in contention for Song of the Year come December. It’s like a Tom Waits song without the Cookie Monster vocals, culminating in a 5-part 80’s Queen-style serenade, until it trails off in the fading vibrations of piano tones, leaving you infinitely fulfilled.

This album is for all those dreamers and doers out there always feeling like they’re a step behind their peers, their place in life, and the goals they hold dear. But they just keep persevering. Because just like The Wilder Blue, if you keep mining the best of yourself, eventually the world will begin to turn your way. It certain did for for these guys.

8.1/10

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Along with Zane Williams, The Wilder Blue is guitarist Paul Eason, bassist Sean Rodriguez, multi-instrumentalist Andy Rogers, and drummer Lyndon Hughes.

Purchase from The Wilder Blue / Stream The Album

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