Wild Rivers’ New Single "Thinking 'Bout Love" Effortlessly Infuses Folk and Pop

Toronto-based foursome Wild Rivers leaped into the spotlight in 2016 with their self-titled debut album and were quickly compared to prominent acts like The Head and the Heart, The Lumineers, and Kacey Musgraves. More recently, 2019 proved to be a year full of new singles from the band, who released several including “I Do” and “Moving Target.”

Beautifully mastered, “I Do” is a classic modern folk pop song, complete with clap-like percussion and catchy harmonies between vocalists Devan Glover and Khalid Yassein. Though their voices are much fuller and effortlessly play off each other, the track evokes the same hand-in-hand fit that singers Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar þórhallsson construct in Of Monsters and Men.

The slower, more somber tune, “Moving Target,” is warm in both guitar and vocals, while the band’s newest release “Thinking ‘Bout Love” is another home run.

In the new track, Glover and Yassein croon lyrics full of visceral emotion. The song has an overall folk influence that the band is known for, but with powerful gospel-style harmonies. Yassein says about the lyrics, “’Thinking 'Bout Love’ is about both sides of the breakup. One person is thinking practically— their respective happiness; long-term repercussions of the decision; and, on paper, what the best path is. And the other person believes the love they share can cut through all the distractions and hardship, and trumps everything else. It’s about a difference of opinion, and there’s a certain acceptance in it.” Through their piercing vocals and soft electric guitar picks, the song is full of longing and nostalgia for a time lost.

Though it is emotionally charged and sad, the song brought the group together in an especially close way. “On the last day of recording, everyone involved in the project— the band, co-writers, our producers— all gathered around a mic and sang this part together. It felt fitting with the tone of the song to wrap up this record singing with the people we love," explains Yassein.

To promote their new song, Wild Rivers will embark on a U.S. tour beginning on April 29th through May 21st. In addition, the group is planning to donate $1 from every ticket sale to the San Diego-based non-profit Voices Of Our City Choir, whose goal is to help homeless people in the community obtain a home. Tickets for the U.S. 2020 tour are on sale now.

Tour Dates

Wed, Apr 29 Boston, MA | Sinclair*

Fri, May 1 New York, NY | Le Poisson Rouge*

Sat, May 2 Washington, DC | Union Stage*

Mon, May 4 Charlotte, NC | Neighborhood Theater*

Tue, May 5 Atlanta, GA | Aisle 5*

Wed, May 6 Nashville, TN | High Watt*

Fri, May 8 Grand Rapids, MI | Pyramid Scheme*

Sat, May 9 Chicago, IL | Lincoln Hall*

Sun, May 10 Minneapolis, MN | 7th Street Entry*

Mon, May 11 Omaha, NE | Reverb Lounge*

Wed, May 13 Denver, CO | Bluebird Theater^