Wild Ones (Kip Moore album) explained

Wild Ones
Type:studio
Artist:Kip Moore
Cover:WildOnes.jpg
Alt:A graffiti-like neon drawing of a man raising his right arm. The album name and artist's name appear below him, colored in yellow and white respectively.
Length: (standard edition)
(deluxe edition)
Label:MCA Nashville
Prev Title:Up All Night
Prev Year:2012
Next Title:Slowheart
Next Year:2017

Wild Ones is the second studio album by American country music artist Kip Moore, released on August 21, 2015, by MCA Nashville. Following the success of his 2012 debut album, Up All Night, Moore reteamed with producer Brett James and brought in Chris DeStefano to work on new content for his next country album. After its first two singles underperformed on the radio, Moore decided to scrap the project to write and record new material, crafting a more organic hard rock sound that supports the personal stories told throughout the thirteen tracks he co-wrote. Reviews for the record were positive, with critics praising Moore for incorporating rock elements throughout the track listing. Wild Ones debuted at numbers two and four on the Top Country Albums and Billboard 200 charts, respectively. It spawned two singles: "I'm to Blame" and "Running for You". To promote the album, Moore performed on talk shows and headlined tours across North America.

Background and development

Moore released his debut studio album Up All Night on April 24, 2012. It garnered favorable reviews from critics, who praised the vocal delivery and lyrical storytelling.[1] [2] To promote the album, Moore spent the rest of 2012 and 2013 touring across the United States.[3] [4] Moore expressed excitement about preparing his sophomore effort, saying if the debut album was a "very nostalgic, looking back – type record", this would be "sonically and lyrically" intense and focus on the present.[5] In November 2013, Moore released "Young Love", the leadoff single that underperformed on the Billboard Country charts.[6] [7] [8] In April 2014, he announced that he delayed the album's May release until the summer, and released its next single "Dirt Road".[9] [10] After "Dirt Road" stalled on the radio and the album's expected fall release was pushed back into 2015, Moore scrapped it entirely to write and record a collection of new material.[11] In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Moore said that the overall sound of the album was more organic after several soundchecks creating different grooves and having the band play various parts of the songs.[12] He also co-wrote all thirteen tracks on the record.[13] Wild Ones was released on August 21, 2015, by MCA Nashville.[12] [14]

Music and lyrics

The opening title track was described by Jon Freeman of Nash Country Weekly as "a simmering hymn about partying all night long." The song utilizes a "U2-ish synth" as a bassline for the drum-based percussion, banjos and hand claps throughout the arrangement. Magic" is described as a "soul-rock scorcher" that has Moore receive an unexplainable feeling he wants to hold onto, something he came up with because of his distrust of the fairy tale love songs on the radio.[15] Roughstocks Matt Bjorke found the song overall to be "loud and lovely" because of its "anthemic, open-armed chorus".[16] "That Was Us" is about the "small-town Saturday nights" that encapsulated Moore's teenage years in Georgia.[16] "Lipstick" is a tribute to the road song, with Moore listing off his favorite cities he and his band like to perform at.[17] The overall sound of the track utilizes a "Springsteen-esque riff" and some "pseudo-prototypical Mumfordian" shouts. "What Ya Got On Tonight" revolves around a man away from his girlfriend, pleading for a picture showing her outfit to keep him under control. "I'm to Blame" is a "mini-biography" about Moore willing to be the better man and admit the mistakes he's made in his past.[18] [19] "Running for You" is a "breakup anthem" about a relationship that's run its course but they wish each other well.[20] Moore had originally written the track for his debut album Up All Night but cut it from the final track listing and scrapped the original version.[21] The inspiration for the song came from two previous relationships Moore was in: one that treated him fairly and the other that didn't. He had also went against his team's wishes of letting other big name country singers record the track.[21] The album closer, "Comeback Kid", is about the underdog that exists in every person.[16]

Singles and promotion

The album's first single, "I'm to Blame", was released on February 2, 2015.[22] It peaked at numbers 20 and 24 on both the Billboard Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts, respectively.[8] [23] It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the US on June 3, 2021. An accompanying music video was directed by Peter Zavadil and premiered in April 2015.[24] The second and final single, "Running for You", was released on October 12, 2015.[25] It peaked at numbers 13 and 25 on both the Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts, respectively.[8] [23] A music video for the single, directed by P. J. Brown, premiered in February 2016.[26] While not released as a single, the album's title track managed to reach numbers 37 and 85 on both the Hot Country Songs and Canadian Hot 100 charts respectively.[27] [28]

On January 12, 2015, Moore was announced as an opening act alongside Maddie & Tae and Canaan Smith for Dierks Bentley on his Sounds of Summer Tour, starting on June 5 in Raleigh's Walnut Creek Amphitheatre and ending on September 12 in Bonner Springs' Cricket Wireless Amphitheater.[29] [30] [31] On August 5 of that year, Moore announced a 20-city North American tour to support Wild Ones ahead of its release, beginning at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and ending at Richmond, Virginia.[32] On September 16, he performed "Come and Get It" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[33] On December 2, Moore announced a second leg of his tour for 2016, starting in Milwaukee and finishing in Anaheim, California.[34] On February 22 of that year, he performed "Running for You" on The Talk.[35] [36] On June 20, Moore announced the Me and My Kind Tour, which took place in the fall of 2016. Moore was joined by special guest Jon Pardi.[37] On August 24, he performed the album's title track on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.[38] [39]

Critical reception

Wild Ones received mostly positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 72 out of 100, which indicates "generally favorable reviews" based on 4 reviews.

AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine surmised that "[If] Kip's songs aren't as hook-heavy or as sticky as his idols, it is nevertheless admirable that he's completely revamped his sound so he doesn't feel like anybody else in contemporary country -- not his bro country peers, not Church, not a red dirt refugee or macho rocker. He's effectively evoked the feel and aesthetic of mid-'80s heartland rock, and if that doesn't necessarily make him a wild one, it does make him a rebel of sorts." Jon Freeman of Nash Country Weekly said, "The result feels a little something like those beloved '80s movies in spirit and aesthetic." Entertainment Weeklys Madison Vain commented on Moore's musical aspirations: "His follow-up has bigger ambitions: Wild Ones is Springsteen-style rock that reaches for the stadium's nosebleeds. Moore hasn't ditched his country roots entirely, but it's the burn-the-barn-down stompers like "Come and Get It" that stick." Jonathan Frahm of PopMatters suggested that "[I]f you're looking for something to break totally out of the rock-ready bro country mold, Wild Ones most certainly isn't your bag. If you're looking for something catchy, and somewhat more relatable than other offerings within the same expanse, than you've found just what you've needed." Jeffrey B. Remz of Country Standard Time also gave note of the album's overall sound being more rock heavy and encouraging crowd participation, and Moore's musicianship taking cues from Church, Springsteen ("Complicated", "I'm to Blame") and John Mellencamp ("Comeback Kid"), concluding that he "doesn't exactly go wild in stretching out, but with a voice that's real and songs that suit him well, the wait was the hardest part."[40]

Entertainment Weekly ranked Wild Ones number five on their list of the 10 Best Country Albums of 2015. The magazine's writer Madison Vain said that Moore's "allegiance to classic rock" throughout the album may have hurt him than help him, noting that even accessible anthems like "Lipstick" and "Come and Get It" carry "too much heft for airplay EP's", but concluded that: "In the end, he may have written his own best defense on the swampy kiss-off "That's Alright With Me" when he growls, "Call me country, call me hippie/A wild cat from Dixie And if you do or don't like what you see/That's alright with me." It's more than alright, it rocks."[41] Rolling Stone ranked it number six on their list of the 40 Best Country Albums of 2015. The magazine's writer Linda Ryan said that Moore's raspy delivery of "blue-collar heartland rock" calls back to Mellencamp's "Jack and Diane" when telling stories about "young rabble-rousers" not caring who judges them. She concluded that: "By the time he wraps up the record with the moody "Comeback Kid," he's tapped into the teenage rebel inside his listeners, reassuring underdogs that there's always a second chance."[42] In 2017, Billboard contributor Chuck Dauphin placed two tracks from the album on his top 10 list of Moore's best songs: "Running for You" at number two and "I'm to Blame" at number six.[43]

Commercial performance

Wild Ones debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top Country Albums chart with 40,000 equivalent album units; it sold 35,000 copies in its first week, with the remainder of its unit total reflecting the album's streaming activity and track sales.[44] [45] On the Billboard 200, it left the top 100 the week of October 3, 2015 and stayed on the chart for four weeks.[46] As of July 2016, the album has sold 88,600 copies in the US.[47] In Canada, it debuted and peaked at number five on the Canadian Albums chart for the week of September 12.[48]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[49]

Vocals
Production
Instruments
Imagery

Charts

Year-end charts

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Album Review: Kip Moore - Up All Night. Peacock. Bobby. Roughstock. April 20, 2012. April 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20201104081707/https://roughstock.com/news/2012/04/17193-album-review-kip-moore-up-all-night. November 4, 2020. live.
  2. Up All Night by Kip Moore. Nicholson. Jessica. Nash Country Weekly. April 23, 2012. April 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052709/http://www.countryweekly.com/reviews/all-night-kip-moore. March 4, 2016. dead.
  3. Web site: Billy Currington Reveals Headlining Tour Dates for 2012. Conaway. Alanna. Taste of Country. January 25, 2012. April 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20190120092957/https://tasteofcountry.com/billy-currington-tour-dates-2012/. January 20, 2019. live.
  4. Web site: Brantley Gilbert Extends Hell on Wheels Tour Into 2012, Adds Kip Moore to Lineup. Conaway. Alanna. Taste of Country. November 30, 2012. April 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20180913012339/https://tasteofcountry.com/brantley-gilbert-hell-on-wheels-tour-dates-2013/. September 13, 2018. live.
  5. Kip Moore Begins Work on 'Intense' Second Album. Dauphin. Chuck. Chuck Dauphin. Billboard. August 27, 2013. April 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20220428113412/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/kip-moore-begins-work-on-intense-second-album-5672731/. April 28, 2022. live.
  6. Web site: Kip Moore, 'Young Love' [Listen]]. Taste of Country. November 12, 2013. April 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210412195659/https://tasteofcountry.com/kip-moore-young-love-listen/. April 12, 2021. live.
  7. Web site: Kip Moore Says Changes Have Made Sophomore Album 'Stronger'. Thompson. Gayle. The Boot. December 7, 2014. April 3, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20171010090259/http://theboot.com/kip-moore-sophomore-album/. October 10, 2017. live.
  8. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=kip moore|chart=Hot Country Songs}} Kip Moore – Chart History: Hot Country Songs]. Billboard. May 17, 2020.
  9. Web site: Kip Moore Pushes Back Album Release Date. Allers. Hannahlee. The Boot. April 11, 2014. April 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20170320045605/http://theboot.com/kip-moore-album-delayed/. March 20, 2017. live.
  10. Web site: Kip Moore Releases New Single From Sophomore Album. Thompson. Gayle. The Boot. April 16, 2014. April 2, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20150920110032/https://theboot.com/kip-moore-dirt-road/. September 20, 2015. live.
  11. Kip Moore Admits Scrapping Entire Album for New Songs. Murray. Nick. Rolling Stone. June 30, 2015. April 2, 2023. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20211028075201/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/kip-moore-admits-scrapping-entire-album-for-new-songs-38450/. October 28, 2021. live.
  12. Vain. Madison. Kip Moore previews new album, Wild Ones, chats life on the road and why he'll never make the same album twice. Entertainment Weekly. May 29, 2015. June 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20171225112909/http://ew.com/article/2015/05/29/kip-moore-previews-new-album-wild-ones-chats-life-road-and-why-hell-never-make/. December 25, 2017. dead.
  13. Web site: Thompson. Gayle. Kip Moore Says 'Wild Ones' Will Be 'More Organic' Than Freshman Album. The Boot. June 1, 2015. June 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20171010082249/https://theboot.com/kip-moore-new-music-2015/. October 10, 2017. live.
  14. Web site: Reuter. Annie. Kip Moore Announces Sophomore Album 'Wild Ones'. June 9, 2015. Radio.com. May 29, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150910084508/http://radio.com/2015/05/29/kip-moore-wild-ones-new-album/. September 10, 2015. dead.
  15. Kip Moore shares 'Magic' off new album. Vain. Madison. Entertainment Weekly. August 12, 2015. May 19, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20210126201136/https://ew.com/article/2015/08/12/kip-moore-wild-ones-magic/. January 26, 2021. live.
  16. Web site: Bjorke. Matt. Kip Moore "Wild Ones" Tracklist & Cover Art. Roughstock. May 29, 2015. June 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160423040246/http://roughstock.com/news/2015/05/35339-kip-moore-wild-ones-tracklist-cover-art/. April 23, 2016. live.
  17. Web site: Whitaker. Sterling. Kip Moore Reveals Details for Sophomore Album, 'Wild Ones'. Taste of Country. May 29, 2015. June 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20170425080838/http://tasteofcountry.com/kip-moore-sophomore-album-wild-ones/. April 25, 2017. live.
  18. Web site: Kip Moore, 'I'm to Blame' [Listen]]. Taste of Country. January 13, 2015. May 18, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20210126144525/https://tasteofcountry.com/kip-moore-im-to-blame/. January 26, 2021. live.
  19. Web site: Kip Moore - Story Behind "I'm To Blame". Kip Moore. YouTube. February 3, 2015. May 18, 2020.
  20. Web site: Kip Moore Selects 'Running for You' as Next Single [Listen]]. Carr. Courtney. The Boot. October 15, 2015. May 19, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200407024537/https://theboot.com/kip-moore-running-for-you-single/. April 7, 2020. live.
  21. Web site: Lyrics Uncovered: Kip Moore, 'Running for You'. Dukes. Billy. Taste of Country. February 22, 2016. May 18, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201205111308/https://tasteofcountry.com/kip-moore-running-for-you-lyrics/. December 5, 2020. live.
  22. Web site: New Single: Kip Moore's "I'm to Blame". Parton. Chris. Country Music Television. February 3, 2015. May 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923234845/http://www.cmt.com/news/1749129/new-single-kip-moores-im-to-blame/. September 23, 2015. dead.
  23. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=kip moore|chart=Country Airplay}} Kip Moore – Chart History: Country Airplay]. Billboard. May 17, 2020.
  24. Web site: Kip Moore Reveals New 'I'm to Blame' Music Video. Vinson. Christina. The Boot. April 8, 2015. May 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20181021232353/http://theboot.com/kip-moore-im-to-blame-music-video/. October 21, 2018. live.
  25. Web site: Kip Moore Selects 'Running for You' as Next Single [Listen]]. Carr. Courtney. The Boot. October 15, 2015. May 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200407024537/https://theboot.com/kip-moore-running-for-you-single/. April 7, 2020. live.
  26. Watch Kip Moore's Cinematic 'Running for You' Video. Leahey. Andrew. Rolling Stone. February 12, 2016. May 17, 2020. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20210226132814/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/watch-kip-moores-cinematic-running-for-you-video-240639/. February 26, 2021. live.
  27. Hot Country Songs: September 12, 2015. Billboard. January 14, 2024. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20181021232426/https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/2015-09-12. October 21, 2018. live.
  28. Canadian Hot 100: August 22, 2015. Billboard. January 14, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240114214845/https://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-hot-100/2015-08-22/. January 14, 2024. live.
  29. Dierks Bentley Announces Tour, Recruits Tourmates For Polar Plunge. Skates. Sarah. MusicRow. January 13, 2015. April 3, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230403002751/https://musicrow.com/2015/01/dierks-bentley-announces-tour-recruits-tourmates-for-polar-plunge/. April 3, 2023. live.
  30. Web site: Tour Dates. dierks.com. April 3, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20150216005557/http://www.dierks.com/tour-dates.html?pg=1. February 16, 2015. dead.
  31. Web site: Tour Dates. dierks.com. April 3, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20150415201019/http://www.dierks.com/tour-dates.html?pg=5. April 15, 2015. dead.
  32. Web site: Kip Moore Hitting the Road on 'Wild' Tour. Hostelley. Laura. Taste of Country. August 5, 2015. January 2, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20180215060322/http://tasteofcountry.com/kip-moore-wild-ones-2015-tour-dates/. February 15, 2018. live.
  33. See Kip Moore's Breakout 'Come and Get It' Performance on 'Kimmel'. Hudak. Joseph. Rolling Stone. September 17, 2015. May 17, 2020. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20201001024408/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/see-kip-moores-breakout-come-and-get-it-performance-on-kimmel-94595/. October 1, 2020. live.
  34. Web site: Kip Moore Extends Wild Ones Tour into 2016. Freeman. Jon. Rolling Stone. December 2, 2015. May 13, 2021. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20201030202059/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/kip-moore-extends-wild-ones-tour-into-2016-71826/. October 30, 2020. live.
  35. Web site: Tune In: Kip Performs On "The Talk" On Monday - 2/22. kipmoore.net. February 19, 2016. May 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20210513230053/https://www.kipmoore.net/node/9416. May 13, 2021. dead.
  36. See Kip Moore's Stripped-Down 'Running for You' on 'The Talk'. Freeman. Jon. Rolling Stone. February 23, 2016. May 17, 2020. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20210226124449/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/see-kip-moores-stripped-down-running-for-you-on-the-talk-96640/. February 26, 2021. live.
  37. Kip Moore Plans Me and My Kind Fall Tour. Freeman. Jon. Rolling Stone. June 20, 2016. May 13, 2021. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20201129090530/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/kip-moore-plans-me-and-my-kind-fall-tour-175145/. November 29, 2020. live.
  38. Web site: Tune In: Kip Moore Performs On "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" Tomorrow. kipmoore.net. August 23, 2016. May 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20170319174802/https://www.kipmoore.net/news/tune-kip-moore-performs-late-show-stephen-colbert-tomorrow. March 19, 2017. live.
  39. See Kip Moore Sing Anthemic 'Wild Ones' on 'Colbert'. Parton. Chris. Rolling Stone. August 25, 2016. May 17, 2020. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20200929113712/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/see-kip-moore-sing-anthemic-wild-ones-on-colbert-252230/. September 29, 2020. live.
  40. Kip Moore - Wild Ones. Remz. Jeffrey B.. Country Standard Time. May 24, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201127004620/https://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/cdreview.asp?xid=5786. November 27, 2020. live.
  41. The 10 Best Country Albums of 2015. December 17, 2015. EW Staff. Entertainment Weekly. December 25, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20210125024525/https://ew.com/article/2015/12/17/best-2015-years-best-country-albums/. January 25, 2021. live.
  42. 40 Best Country Albums of 2015. Rolling Stone Staff. December 8, 2015. Rolling Stone. May 13, 2021. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20181013093238/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country-lists/40-best-country-albums-of-2015-143211/kip-moore-wild-ones-165708/. October 13, 2018. live.
  43. Kip Moore's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks. Dauphin. Chuck. Billboard. September 27, 2017. May 15, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201124234927/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/7957112/kip-moore-songs-best-hits-list. November 24, 2020. live.
  44. Disturbed Scores Fifth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart. Keith. Caulfield. Billboard. August 30, 2015. September 30, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20210227155800/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6678673/disturbed-scores-fifth-no-1-album-on-billboard-200-chart. February 27, 2021. live.
  45. Web site: Country Albums Chart Report for August 31, 2015. Bjorke. Matt. Roughstock. August 31, 2015. September 29, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20180911225642/https://roughstock.com/news/2015/08/37388-country-albums-chart-report-for-august-31-2015. September 11, 2018. live.
  46. Billboard 200: October 3, 2015. Billboard. May 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201129020719/https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2015-10-03. November 29, 2020. live.
  47. News: Top 10 Country Albums Chart: July 25, 2016. Matt. Bjorke. Roughstock. July 26, 2016. July 28, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20200928130117/http://roughstock.com/news/2016/07/40641-top-10-country-albums-chart-july-25-2016. September 28, 2020. live.
  48. Canadian Albums: September 12, 2015. Billboard. May 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20180509153750/https://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-albums/2015-09-12. May 9, 2018. live.
  49. Wild Ones. Kip Moore. MCA Nashville. 2015. liner notes. 0019941-02.
  50. Top Country Albums: 2015 Year-End Charts. Billboard. December 11, 2015. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20201125123121/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/top-country-albums. November 25, 2020. live.
  51. Web site: Scott. Jason. Kip Moore's 'Wild Ones' LP set for August 21 release. June 9, 2015. AXS. May 29, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923210034/https://www.axs.com/news/kip-moore-s-wild-ones-lp-set-for-august-21-release-55771. September 23, 2015. dead.

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