Just three months after the release of their acclaimed album, Never Better, Platinum-selling trio Wild Rivers—Khalid Yassein, Devan Glover and Andrew Oliver—is back today with a new companion album, Better Now, via Nettwerk Music Group. Stream/purchase HERE. In conjunction with the release, the official music video for album track, “Still the One,” is also out now. Watch/share HERE.
Produced by Wild Rivers and Gabe Wax (Soccer Mommy, Adrienne Lenker), Better Now consists of eight tracks that complement Never Better, as the group dives deeper into the complicated, confusing and unknown realities of life in their twenties, and the personal growth they’ve found through it all. In celebration of the new music, the band was recently featured on “CBS Saturday Morning” performing three songs as part of their “Saturday Sessions” series: “Never Better,” “What Kind of Song” and “Thinkin’ Bout Love.”
Of the project, Wild Rivers shares, “Better Now is our companion record, and the other side to Never Better. On the first record, the songs contain raw, absolute and instinctual feelings. In many ways, Better Now is the afterglow of this. We’re reflecting and understanding that relationships change over time. Complicated situations can be just that, complicated. Feelings can remain unresolved. If the first record is bright and bold, this one is the softer gradients in between; the sunrises and the sunsets. Both projects make up the full spectrum of who we are. Better Now is just the moodier, misunderstood one. Musically the records really are twins. We wrote all of the songs at the same time. Finishing Better Now, we really felt that it was the close of a massive musical and personal chapter. It’s bittersweet but so meaningful to be able to chronicle our lives between these projects. Ultimately, we are optimistic; ‘better now,’ after the ups and downs of the relationships and turbulence of our twenties. Hopefully we’re wiser for it.”
Since its release this past July, Never Better has continued to receive widespread attention from fans and critics alike, with the Associated Press praising, “poignant lyrics and elegant harmonies…it would be hard to find a band with more complementary voices working on each other’s behalf.” Additionally, Consequence declares, “This trio knocked it out of the park with their new album…inventive melodies, rich harmonies, and lush instrumentals abound” and Rolling Stone Germany proclaimed “The core of the band—a celestial and open-hearted romance—remains intact. A standout track is ‘Everywhere I Go,’ with its groovy, earthy sound and irresistibly catchy refrain, perfectly capturing the essence of the band.”
Known for their engaging live performances, Wild Rivers will tour across Europe next month, with upcoming shows in Germany, Switzerland, France, Scotland and the U.K. The international dates follow the band’s recent sold-out U.S. headline run, which included shows at New York’s Irving Plaza, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Los Angeles’ Fonda Theater, Austin’s Scoot Inn, Chicago’s Vic Theater and Denver’s Ogden Theater among many others. See below for complete tour itinerary. Full details can be found at www.wildriversmusic.com/tour.
Formed during their time at Queen’s University in Ontario, Wild Rivers has released three albums to date including 2022’s Sidelines, which landed at #9 on the U.S. Spotify Debut Album Chart. Released to critical acclaim, Under The Radar praised, “expertly straddles the lines between folk and indie, offering an empathetic and enveloping comfort and a piece of poignant pop beauty,” while American Songwriter declared, “Soul-stirring…rich male/female harmonies bring the emotional lyrics to life.” Following the release of Sidelines, Wild Rivers was nominated for Breakthrough Group of The Year at the 2023 JUNO Awards, saw their breakout single, “Thinking ‘Bout Love,” certified Gold in the United States and Australia and Platinum in Canada, and garnered over 850 million global streams. The group also spent much of their career touring across the world including countless headline shows as well as dates supporting artist such as The Chicks and Noah Kahan.
BETTER NOW TRACK LIST
1. What Kind of Song
2. Settle Down
3. Freezing
4. I Want Everything
5. I Will If You Will
6. What If It’s Us
7. Simp Song
8. Still the One
WILD RIVERS CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
November 2—Groningen, Netherlands—Take Root
November 4—Berlin, Germany—Hole44*
November 6—Cologne, Germany—Die Kantine*
November 8—Zurich, Switzerland—Plaza*
November 10—Paris, France—La Maroquinerie*
November 13—Glasgow, Scotland—QMU* (SOLD OUT)
November 15—Dublin, Ireland—Button Factory* (SOLD OUT)
November 17—Bristol, U.K.—SWX*
November 19—London, U.K.—O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire*
November 22—Manchester, U.K.—Manchester Academy*
November 24—Birmingham, U.K.—O2 Institute*
November 26—Leeds, U.K.—Project House*
November 27—Cardiff, U.K.—Tramshed*
December 6—Toronto, ON—History (SOLD OUT)
January 4-7—Cancun, Mexico—Out of the Blue Festival
*with special guest Riley Pearce
