Verdict: The Most Refined Wild Pink Album Yet
Still Coming Down is the sixth Wild Pink album, a nine-track collection that refines the band’s shredded, steely guitar sound into tightly written, darkly funny stories about ordinary life. From the first spin, it feels less like a reset and more like a victory lap: the “proper rock” punch of Dulling The Horns is still here, but sharpened and edited down to something leaner and smarter. This Wild Pink album review finds a record aimed squarely at listeners who want guitar-driven indie rock with brains, not background noise. It is not a casual listen; the humor is dry, the references oblique, and the mood often bittersweet. But for anyone willing to sit with John Ross’s offbeat narratives and slightly ragged voice, Still Coming Down is the band’s most rewarding album so far.
Pros
- Most refined and consistent Wild Pink studio album so far, with every track landing cleanly.
- Guitar-forward, “proper rock” sound that stays spirited, steely, and lively across the whole record.
- John Ross’s observational lyrics turn mundane scenes into thought‑provoking, darkly comedic vignettes that reward close listening.
Cons
- The more muscular, feedback-heavy approach may alienate fans of the band’s softer, earlier records.
- Ross’s intentionally unvarnished vocals and surreal narrative jumps can feel opaque or off-putting if you prefer straightforward hooks.
Everyday Vignettes and Darkly Comedic Storytelling
The defining strength of Still Coming Down is how John Ross turns errands and throwaway sights into whole songs. A gas station stop, an air-conditioner purchase, a neon walk around town – these are the raw materials he spins into vignettes packed with dark humor and low-key dread. According to one interview, Ross jots down these details on his phone as they happen so they do not slip away. That habit pays off: lines about “Tallahassee sunset at the Circle K” or an AC unit blocking the best view become emotional hinges rather than quirky garnish. His writing zigzags in a way that recalls David Berman, jumping from consumer ephemera to existential punchlines in a single breath. It is funny, but the laughter catches – especially when a song like “Round Of Applause At The End Of The World” casually drops a line about John Kennedy joking about dying, and then keeps barreling forward.
A Steely, Guitar-Driven Indie Rock Engine
Musically, Still Coming Down continues the shredded and steely path forged on Dulling The Horns, doubling down on what that record called “proper rock.” Recorded in a single week at Drop of Sun with producer Alex Farrar, the album feels spirited and revved-up, like a band locked into its live set rather than fussing over details for months. Scuzzy guitars and feedback give tracks like “500 Is The New 250” a rough-edged, live-in-the-room energy, while pedal steel from Xandy Chelmis keeps a shimmering high end in the mix. Meg Duffy and MJ Lenderman add guitar color that slots neatly into Wild Pink’s fuzzy, road-worn tone, carrying over the character fans loved on Dulling The Horns. Ross, meanwhile, “leans into” his natural voice: fewer takes, less polish, more of the conversational, slightly lo-fi delivery that makes his lyrics feel like overheard stories.
Refinement, Trade-Offs, and Where This Album Lands
Still Coming Down has been billed as Wild Pink’s most refined studio album to date, and that description holds up if you think of refinement as focus rather than gloss. The nine songs paint what one writer called “a rich, reflective portrait of a distinct kind of heartland culture,” where outlet malls and Hard Luck bars stand in for grand symbols. Tight sequencing keeps weaker ideas from slipping in; almost a decade after the debut, the band sounds like it knows exactly which lanes it wants to occupy. The trade-off is that this indie rock album can feel narrow in tone: always a bit hazy, always cracked with the same dry smile, always filtered through Ross’s specific obsessions. If you miss the more open-hearted shimmer of earlier records, the new steely intensity and dense narratives may feel like a heavier lift. But if Dulling The Horns was their breakout, Still Coming Down hangs another “championship banner” with confidence.
Buy if / Skip if
- Buy the Still Coming Down album if you loved the shredded, steely guitar sound of Dulling The Horns and want a tighter, more focused follow-up.
- Skip the Still Coming Down album if you prefer Wild Pink’s softer, dreamier early records and do not care for heavier, feedback-laced guitars.
- Buy the Still Coming Down album if you enjoy John Ross Wild Pink stories that turn outlet malls, gas stations, and AC units into darkly funny, thoughtful indie narratives.
- Skip the Still Coming Down album if you want straightforward choruses and clean, polished vocals more than dense lyrics and offbeat details.
- Buy the Still Coming Down album if you are looking for a guitar-driven indie rock album that proves this band can keep evolving six records in.
