Wild Rivers share new single ‘Better When We’re Falling Apart’

: by Andrew Braithwaite; in Latest; on 25 October 2021

After releasing their self-titled debut album and two EPs, Wild Rivers’ music is already resonating profoundly with a following that continues to grow with every release. They’ve already amassed over 200 million streams, leading to a current total of 2.3 million monthly listeners at Spotify.

Now Wild Rivers continue to build anticipation for the release of their long-awaited second album ‘Sidelines’ on February 4th by sharing the new single ‘Better When We’re Falling Apart’.

‘Better When We’re Falling Apart’ is a poignant ode to a toxic relationship, which focuses on a couple who are always on the verge of a dramatic break up. The song’s introspective lyrics and melodies also reflect the band’s journey, as they continue to navigate new experiences and adapt to adulthood.

The single features on ‘Sidelines’, which was co-produced by Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Sharon Van Etten) with Wild Rivers, and recorded in Connecticut, Los Angeles and Kingston, Ontario (where the band formed). It’s a record in which Wild Rivers draw upon a spectrum of sounds, imbuing pop, rock, indie, and folk into each song’s blueprint.

The band commented, “When you’re on the sidelines, you’re watching life go by, and maybe wishing you were wanting to play a different role. There’s a sense of detachment from the experience, which makes it challenging to be present in the moment. On the other hand, only time and space can offer a renewed context that’s otherwise difficult to see while you’re caught up in it. And we’ve literally been sidelined for a year to take it all in. In these songs, we’re making sense of it.”

Wild Rivers first caught audiences’ attention with their 2016 self-titled debut, followed by their acclaimed EPs, 2018’s ’Eighty-Eight’ and 2020’s ’Songs To Break Up To’. The live setting is where they truly shine, and they began their natural relationship with their fans while opening for celebrated acts like Jake Bugg, The Paper Kites and Donovan Woods. Channeling classic singer-songwriters like Fleetwood Mac and Neil Young has been vital to Wild Rivers’ connection with fans. The band consists of Khalid Yassein (guitar, vocals, keys), Devan Glover (vocals) and Andrew Oliver (lead guitar, synths).

‘Sidelines’ is available to pre-order. The album will be released on digital, CD and vinyl formats, while their official store offers signed CDs and vinyl, as well as a range of new merch designs.

Demand for tickets for Wild Rivers’ debut UK and European tour has already seen a second night added in London, while the Bristol show is sold-out and Amsterdam has been upgraded to Paradiso Noord’s main hall. The tour has also been extended with two shows in Ireland, while the reflective Icelandic singer-songwriter Axel Flóvent is confirmed to support at all shows. Remaining tickets for the dates, listed below, are available here.

In addition, Wild Rivers will perform a global streaming event ‘Wild Rivers: From The Sidelines’ to enable fans to revisit their live experience or to see them in the live arena for the first time. Filmed at Le Poisson Rouge, New York, the show will commence at 7pm BST on October 28th for fans in the UK, Europe and Africa. Tickets and further details are available

Wild Rivers’ devoted following resulted in numerous key cities selling out during their recent debut North American headline tour, including New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Nashville and San Francisco. The tour also highlighted the band’s commitment to environmental issues. Wild Rivers teamed up with REVERB on their Music Climate Revolution initiative to reduce its environmental footprint and eliminate greenhouse gas pollution. This tour eradicated 200% of total emissions including fan travel to and from shows. In addition, the band has pledged $1 for each digital pre-save of ‘Sidelines’ to support One Tree Planted, a non-profit organization focused on global reforestation.

UK and European headline tour dates:

MAY 2022

6th - Ireland, Dublin, Workman’s Club Cellar (JUST ADDED)

7th - Ireland, Cork, Cyprus Avenue (JUST ADDED)

9th - UK, London, Oslo (JUST ADDED)

10th - UK, Manchester, Night & Day

11th - UK, London, Oslo

14th - UK, Bristol, The Louisiana (SOLD OUT)

17th - The Netherlands, Amsterdam, Paradiso Noord (UPGRADED VENUE)

18th - Belgium, Ghent, Trefpunt

19th - Germany, Cologne, Subway

20th - Germany, Berlin, Privatclub