Shaky’s Kinda Wild II is the soundtrack for the morning after the night before.

By Graeme Smith

As its name suggests, Kinda Wild II is the next chapter to the American rock artist’s debut album, Kinda Wild. While the latter was a party, the former sees Shaky (and by extension us listeners) waking up bleary-eyed, cotton-mouthed, and wondering if we should ever do that again.

The answer to that is yes, always, and Kinda Wild II somehow turns that hangover into an enjoyable experience. Shaky is a rock artist in the vein of Lou Reed, David Byrne, and The Strokes, brazenly different yet undeniably accessible.

Modern indie rock trades stories with classic rock and roll across Kinda Wild II’s twelve tracks, starting with the laissez faire of opener Like What You See. This first impression has lyrics that relate that sometimes things just are what they are.

Things stay jangly throughout as we move our way through early highlights like Sugar and I Can’t Refuse You. Fore! provides a cantering, metaphor-laden moment at the heart of the album.

Shaky saves the best for last, dropping single Take It Away as the album’s penultimate chapter. We reviewed the single last month describing it as providing “a relatable edge [while] simultaneously lifting the listener’s mood through the energetic and fun atmosphere.” Make It Real then brings things home in a cosmic finale.

Kinda Wild II was written, recorded, engineered, and produced all by Shaky in his home studio, meaning he joins the growing list of artists retaining full creative control on their project. The approach can really work if you know what you’re doing. Shaky does, and it gives the album a distinct style, one that doesn’t chase trends.

It’s a sound that is capturing a lot of attention. We’re not the only ones taking note. Shaky’s first album, Kinda Wild, spent six weeks in the North American College and Community Radio Chart (NACC) top 200, peaking at #107, a modest but impressive stat for a DIY debut. SPIN called his sound “a wild combination of Dinosaur Jr. and The Cars.”

We’re loving what Shaky is doing and can’t wait to discover what comes after the morning after. If you want to keep up to date with all he’s doing, you can by heading to his website, and by following him on Spotify, YouTube, and Instagram.

Kinda Wild II is out now, and you can listen to it below.

Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator