Kip Moore - Wild Ones (2015)

Kip Moore’s Wild Ones is a commanding album. Its light on hooks and many songs aim for a higher common denominator. Listening to his second studio album is an investment, but it’s one that will pay off for most.

Moore understands that some country fans just aren’t going to get him and his brand of outlaw. For those people, the ones looking to snack on something piffling, he offers nothing. Wild Ones is an album for his fans first, and then for anyone looking for a meal.

The production is thin and powerful. Beginning with the title track, Moore relies heavily on moody percussion and thick bass lines. Every song seems to arrive at about the same tempo, and most are guy/girl songs, to some degree. Strong lyrics are overshadowed by his urgency in songs like “Come and Get It” and “What Ya Got on Tonight.” “That Was Us” is a brooding story that recalls Motown during the final chorus. Repeated listens reveal the song’s dark twist:

“Mary Lee started hanging started talking with a boy with a checkered past / It wasn’t long before he showed his true colors and he left her all blue and black / Cops stopped us running 90 with a loaded pistol and a bottle of booze / And it’s a good damn thing the blue lights got us before we did what we was gonna do.”

“Heart’s Desire” is the best song on Wild Ones. Moore’s been called country’s Bruce Springsteen, and that comes through strongest in track eight. A thin guitar riff leads him through his story of love lost:

“Night’s falling on me like a big black coat / Staring through the window at the empty cold / Thick white smoke rolling off my lips / My chest is feeling heavy like a cannonball / Got sweat rolling down me like a waterfall / Because I let love slip through my finger tips,” Moore sings.

The chorus is just two lines forced upon you. It doesn’t take long for one to appreciate the aggression.

“Oo-ooh / Hey hey / I’m a raging fire, you’re my heart’s desire.”

The bluesy “That’s Alright With Me” and garage-rock inspired ballad called “Lipstick” lighten one’s listen, providing momentary breaths before the next breathless moment. Once again Kip Moore has crafted a true album, an art that’s evaporating like morning mist.