Wild Nothing - headlights on, 2023

"You might not think it to listen to it but "Headlights On," the euphoric new single from Wild Nothing, was written during a particularly delicate moment in Jack Tatum's life. The birth of their first child had left Tatum and his wife both sleep-deprived and distant from one another."

Wild Nothing - suburban solutions, 2023

"On the heels of a move back to his birthplace of Virginia from the bright lights of Los Angeles, Jack Tatum, the leader at the front of Captured Tracks indie heroes Wild Nothing, came to a realization. Incessant advertising and content is everywhere, so why not “embrace sweet oblivion” and lean into it? It’s a satirical thought, of course, but it captures the in-the-know sensibility Tatum has cultivated since Wild Nothing began picking up blog buzz in the late ‘aughts. Tatum’s music falls right in line with other Captured Tracks acts of the era, like Beach Fossils, which rely on waves of fuzzy guitars and alternating splashes of synth pop. “Suburban Solutions” fuses the two seamlessly, and Wild Nothing tracks have a rich sense of texture and in this case, a vibrant sonic backbone that calls to mind ‘80s nostalgia."

Wild Nothing - live in dreams, 2010

"Live in Dreams" reveals Jack Tatum's real love for synth-pop of the Reagan years."

Wild Nothing - summer holiday, 2010

"Right from the drop, it has a late Velocity Girl-type sound to it. I love that. You know. After they quit being so noisy. Not that I dislike the noise. To the contrary. Just that they were almost a completely different band. Anyway, there’s that. And it’s such a bubbly, bright, “summery” song. I like it quite a bit."

Wild Nothing - chinatown, 2010

"Anybody who grew up listening to the elegantly miserable 1980's guitar-pop faithfully evoked on Wild Nothing's excellent Gemini knows a thing or two about being down. That this comfortably sad feeling can be as ephemeral as the weather makes the foggy positivity of Gemini highlight "Chinatown" all the more fitting. "I want someone/ Somewhere", WN's Jack Tatum yearns, before noting during the chorus, "We're not happy 'til we're running away". Tatum doesn't sound like he's necessarily moping around, though; instead, his low-register voice pulses and throbs like a heartbeat, giving "Chinatown" a bright, in-the-moment, bliss-touched glow."

Wild Nothing - our composition book, 2010

"Second to last on the album comes the song “Our Composition Book”, which is a glamorous, picture-perfect pop song complete with shimmering sound effects and some excellent guitar playing by none other than Mr. Tatum himself."

Wild Nothing - gemini, 2010

"The sweetness of Tatum’s exquisite melodies, often wrapped tight in a comforting blanket of distortion and propelled on their way by simple but effective percussion, is consistently tempered by his lyrical predilection for pessimism. Track four here is even titled Pessimist, and opens with the line: “Boys don’t cry, they just want to die”. Hopefully Tatum is not actually writing from a position of irreversible bleakness – after all, it’d be tragic if the enjoyment experienced by the audience came at a cost to the artist."

Wild Nothing - shadow, 2012

"The name itself comes across as rather misleading, as the track sounds less shadowy than you’d perhaps think; it’s a fast-paced, heart-felt song featuring graceful vocals and beautiful violin sections invoking a deeply thought-provoking atmosphere."

Wild Nothing - midnight song, 2012

"Nocturne invokes darkness, the night and the moon with frequency. It’s an apt muse, since the album often sounds like luminous orbs reflecting light in the darkness. Low, dark synths ride under flashes of bright guitar notes and shimmering production. Tatum’s voice is a wash of starlight, echoing from far away."

Wild Nothing - nocturne, 2012

"Maybe it's the way in which Tatum takes these different styles and creates a wonderfully unified album that makes it difficult for me to pinpoint exactly what it is that I find so appealing. But Nocturne is one of those rare albums that works well both as background music – there aren't any jarring shifts or songs that don't fit – and as something that rewards critical listening."

Wild Nothing - this chain won't break, 2012

"Songs like "The Chain Won't Break", will effortlessly delve the listener into the world of "Dream-pop", turning the listen into a fascinating hazy and bewildering escapade."

Wild Nothing - rheya, 2012

"Tatum’s biggest accomplishment is that Nocturne can’t really be measured against the high expectations everyone had for his follow-up. He’s adopted a cerebral approach to these songs; simple as they are, they have a directness that people don’t expect from music like this. Platonic almost, like Stephin Merritt’s writing. Living up to his platform’s reputation for insincere dismissals, the reviewer in Vice referred to a “blankness to his vibe,” man."

Wild Nothing - letting go, 2018

“Mourning, melodrama, psychedelic mushrooms, a bodybuilder, scarecrows, fetish rainwear, modernist architecture, catatonic schizophrenia, witchcraft, aquatherapy: Let It Go.”

Wild Nothing - through windows, 2018

"I think when I started messing around with the idea for this song, really I just wanted another vehicle for saxophone. So I started writing this song with the intention that sax would be playing a pivotal part in this song. It’s the only song on the record where the sax isn’t necessarily a featured instrument. It’s more running throughout the song in a way."

Wild Nothing - bend, 2018

“Bend” is the goodbye this album deserves; huge harmonies, skyscraper highs, and a melodic uplift that sounds like the credits should start rolling any second."

Wild Nothing - only heather, 2012

"the introverted musicians those fans loved and identified with found their own solace in the Cocteau Twins’ and the Cure’s limpid eddies of pedal-pulled guitars."