Review: Wrecks drop Sophomore album ‘Sonder’

The Wrecks have released their new album ‘Sonder’ via Big Noise Music Group. ‘Sonder’ follows the release of the band’s 2016 debut EP ‘We Are The Wrecks’. Since then the band have enjoyed widespread global success with their first single ‘Favorite Liar’ currently having 36 million+ streams on Spotify.

The Wrecks began as vocalist/producer Nick Anderson’s sole endeavor and has since been rounded out by Aaron Kelley (bass), Nick “Schmizz” Schmidt (guitar) and Billy Nally (drums).

Sonder is the realization that everybody around you, even strangers, are living a life just as complex as yours. Sometimes your hurting so bad and you feel your the only one. But after all your hardships you start to realize that everybody is so unique and you aren’t the only one. Everybody lives are so indescribably different and there is no way you will ever understand their lives. To sum it up you are realizing that your not the only one living with such chaos and complexity. All people lives are unique, strange, chaotic, and complex, just like yours. Your not alone.

Urban Dictionary

Nick Anderson has spoken about how the album came about as the result of a break up. “I wrote this album because I had to,” he explained. “I was slowly and poorly processing a breakup, and for a while there, the breakup was winning.”

The Wrecks have also released a music video for ‘Sonder’ in which the the experience of seeing the band perform live is captured by director, Natalie Hewitt. The track is full throttle pop punk and sets the scene for the rest of the album.

‘I Love This Part’ starts off with some plaintive vocals, but when the band kicks in, the song soon evolves into a thrashfest with Anderson’s voice soaring over the full on aural onslaught. ‘Don’t Be Scared’ is a restrained love song in which the band are able to showcase their versatility, as they dial the volume down a notch or two. ‘Don’t Be Scared’ has the band returning to their pop punk origins, it’s packed with hooks and a thumping beat that is sure to get the mosh pit going. On ‘Unholy’ the band changes gears again, the punk rock is suddenly gone as the band delivers a pure pop banger with Anderson’s voice soaring, Justin Timberlake-like over the complex instrumentation. The gorgeous ‘No Place I’d Rather Be’ sees the band channeling Portugal. The Man as they again change direction and serve up some delicious indie pop.

On ‘Sonder’, the versatility of the Wrecks is on full display. The band switches with ease from genre to genre serving up an album of tasty pop and punk bangers that will leave their fans super satisfied.

Stream/Download ‘Sonder’ HERE.

The Wrecks have embarked on their headlining ‘Better Than Ever’ tour featuring support from girlhouse and Mothé kicking off in Fresno, the tour will continue with the band visiting San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, NYC, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Nashville, Austin, and more before concluding on 23 July in Los Angeles. The band will also be playing Milwaukee’s long-running Summerfest on 24 June.

‘Sonder’ by the Wrecks – Tracklist

1. Sonder
2. I Love This Part
3. Where Are You Now (feat. girlhouse)
4. Don’t Be Scared
5. Unholy
6. Dystopia
7. Unrequited
8. No Place I’d Rather Be
9. Ugly Side
10. Normal
11. Lone Survivor

Photo Credit: Natalie Hewitt @cloudytots