WUNDERHORSE: IS ‘MIDAS’ ONE OF THE GREATEST SOPHOMORE ALBUMS OF OUR GENERATION?

Written by Holly Rebecca @holdoesphotos

They had 40 minutes to change the world’s perception of the changing landscape of rock music in the modern age – and in just 10 raw, emotionally-devastating, powerful tracks – they succeeded. 

Hailing from the success of their debut album, Cub (2022), their well-received UK tour with Fontaines D.C., and their brilliantly staged UK tour of 2023, Wunderhorse are taking the world of music by storm. Their sophomore album, Midas, is a leading contender for album of the year for many music fans. 

After debuting many tracks from Midas over the past year within their own shows and while supporting artists like Declan McKenna, an enormity of hype has grown around the anticipation for the new album. It comes as no surprise that the excitement currently surrounding the band is undeniably deserved and solidifies their success within the industry and amongst fans over the past three years.

Opening the album with the title track Midas, the record begins with an explosive eruption of grungy, raw guitars—simplistic in their basic rhythm and chord progression, yet wildly effective in their nod to icons such as Nirvana and the grunge movement of the ’90s. It’s quintessentially simple yet unbelievably powerful in setting the tone of the album. The next track, the fourth single to be released from the record, Rain, progresses from the feeling of Midas, with its roaring guitars beautifully partnered with the intimidating vocals of lead singer Jacob Slater. Continuously asking, “Do you feel the rain?” in an almost mantra-like way creates an undeniable intensity to the track. To call Slater a powerhouse would be an understatement, as the sheer capacity of the emotion he brings both lyrically and vocally to his work is arguably unrivalled by any other musician of our time.

Whilst the ’90s grunge-esque theme remains prominent throughout the entirety of Midas, the next three tracks, Emily, Silver, and Arizona, tone down the energy slightly and redirect the power of the lyrics away from an intense eruption of emotion into a softer yet more vulnerable feel. One of my favourite tracks on the album happens to be Arizona, a track Grian Chatten of Fontaines D.C. applauded when hearing it on tour with the band. The song is laced with an enormous amount of emotion and vulnerability—a pain that is executed beautifully through the roaring sounds of Slater’s voice. Continuously repeating the question, “Where did you go, my love?” in a mantra-like way solidifies the feeling of a recurring sense of isolation and uncertainty throughout this album—echoed through the passion of the instrumentals and vocals partnered with Slater’s lyricism. Arizona is a track that I can see being looked back on in many years to come and being referenced as one of the most era-defining grunge tracks of this decade.

In my opinion, Wunderhorse are one of the greatest live bands of this generation. Whilst Slater may be condemned for not being a stereotypically ‘good frontman’ (if there is such a thing) due to his lack of crowd-pleasing chats with the audience and filler between songs, for me, Slater’s ability to be his true, authentic, vulnerable self on stage makes him one of the greatest frontmen I have ever seen grace a stage. Whilst his maximalist expressions of emotion through his art may not be relatable to every individual, they are undeniably felt by everyone on the other side of the stage he stands.

Speaking on the album, Slater says, “I want you to feel like you’re right there in the room with us. There’s absolutely no faking on this record; it’s not supposed to be perfect; it’s supposed to be a snapshot, even if it is a bit of an ugly portrait. That’s how it was then and that’s how you’re gonna see it.” In just 10 songs, spanning just over 40 minutes, the band miraculously achieve the equilibrium of artistic perfection.

Having Grammy award-winning producer Craig Silvey (Florence and The Machine, The National, The Rolling Stones) onboard for the record opened an enormity of doors when crafting their sophomore album. A band like Wunderhorse are quite simply not the type of band that can sit in a studio, write out a few tracks, record them, and then call it a day. Their lyrics and the power that translates through their sound are things that have to be lived, felt, and in some cases suffered to achieve their outcome. Recording in the very same studio where Nirvana put In Utero and PJ Harvey Rid of Me to tape, Wunderhorse pushed themselves to their absolute limits and bled their hearts and souls into Midas.

Moving chronologically through the album, Superman is the successor of the fifth single, Arizona, and dives into a sound much deeper than they have ever delved before. A beautifully delicate ballad, starting with the soft strums of Slater’s guitar, Superman explores the feelings of liberty and the prospects of freedom. The lyricism of the track feels enormously personal, with a type of explicit vulnerability most artists shy away from expressing. Reaching a heroic crescendo, Slater vocally explodes with the accompaniment of Woodin, Fowler, and Staples by his side—all playing incredibly vital roles in making Superman, in my opinion, one of the greatest tracks of their discography.

Following this, the intimidatingly powerful single July acts as an almost oxymoronic shift in tone from Superman and forces listeners back into the explosive depths of their sound. Beginning with singular, dissonant, upward strums of guitar, there is an initial feeling of discomfort and anticipation of what’s next to come. Describing a painfully heartbreaking depiction of a suffering patient anticipating the end of their life, Slater embodies raw emotion like no other and delivers an incredible performance with the simplicity of his lyrics mimicking an excruciating cry for help.

Furthermore, Cathedrals is a track I believe will become cemented within their live sets following its release. Anthemic in its simplistic chord progression and bellowing chorus, the song feels like you’re watching the fall of the Roman Empire before your eyes. Echoing dynamic sounds with dominance and command, there is no doubt in my mind that this song will captivate crowds for many years to come.

Finally, the tenth track on the album comes in the form of the nearing-nine-minute song Aeroplane, concluding the record perfectly whilst still allowing imperfection to be the star of the show. The song starts softly with the only inclusion of an acoustic guitar within Midas strumming delicately, accompanying the silky voice of Slater. Lyrically, the track is a masterpiece; it’s almost entirely poetic in its voice—it’s personal, it speaks to you, and it feels extraordinarily intimate. Reaching the five-minute mark, the dissonant sounds of Fowler’s lead guitar begin to slowly tease a forthcoming crescendo within the track. Whilst admittedly the solo doesn’t compare to the likes of Jimmy Page or Brian May, Fowler captures the moment perfectly and translates every emotion portrayed lyrically through the song into an incredible display of talent.

Wunderhorse’s sophomore album, Midas, is available on all streaming platforms internationally and can be purchased physically from 30th August 2024 via Communion Music.

You can catch the incredible live shows of the band in autumn 2024 as they embark on a UK and Ireland tour.

Wunderhorse are Jacob Slater (vocals), Harry Fowler (lead guitar), Jamie Staples (drums), and Pete Woodin (bass).

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