Night Wilds - All That Should Have Been (Self-Released)

Night Wilds is the new project of Seattle musician Seth Micarelli, and their new album All That Should Have Been, which is set to be released later next year, is about as ambitious as a debut gets. With a sound that is stretches broadly across different rock genres, Micarelli manages to graft the more exploratory sides of artists like Pink Floyd and even the slow burning epics of Bruce Springsteen. The album is a modern day rock opera about a circus and the protagonist is a boy forced to perform in it, and with a real bildungsroman theme, the narrative follows the boy’s journey of growth and maturity.

The band has been slowly releasing breadcrumbs through single releases that the tease the album that range from the overtly circus sounding “The Show” to the brilliant ballad “City of Strangers.” But to really get a feel for the album, it will be crucially important to listen to it as a whole. Not just for the story that runs throughout, but to truly grasp the scale of what Micarelli has crafted. There’s something here for everything, like the menacing progressive hard rock of “Control” or the introspective folk on “Just a Moment More.” It’s a major achievement, and hopefully All That Should Have Been will receive the credit it is undoubtedly due in the new year.