“Bare” by WILDES – A Song Review

     It only rarely occurs, but it’s exhilarating to favorably compare the song of a new artist to a band that’s close to being a personal favorite, but then realize that if the song were from that band, it would be a favorite from that favorite. It occurred while listening to “Bare” by WILDES. The song was being favorably compared to London Grammar. Then, during the long-lasting crescendo that is the second half of “Bare,” we realized the song was special.

     London Grammar hasn’t lost any ground in our ranking of favorites, but we’re certainly going to watch WILDES. The song "Bare" is a combination of Daughter (“Home”) and London Grammar (“Metal & Dust”).

     WILDES is the performance name of Ella Walker. She is a 19 year old from the UK (London). Pasted below the Soundcloud stream is information we received in an email submission from Ben Ryder-Smith. 
     “Bare” by WILDES

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildesmusic

From the email submission:

     WILDES is the brand new solo project of 19 y/o Ella Walker, a West Londoner who spent her childhood summers in Ireland. Ella assumed her mothers’ maiden name Wildes for her musical alias, seeing it as a great channel for her to be bolder, both personally and in her own musical style.

     Growing up Ella was influenced heavily by her parents’ record collection that was made up of diverse artists from Fleetwood Mac to Nick Cave, and Ella Fitzgerald to The Cure. And after five years singing classically as a teenager she decided she’d rather write her own songs than sing other peoples.

     Now Ella likes to listen to incredibly thoughtful writers such as Joni Mitchell, Laura Marling and Orlando Weeks, who all helped her realise the importance of words within a song. This coupled with her infectious love of literature has had a profound affect on her songwriting to date. On reflection Ella states that she often finds songwriting a way of deliberating on a situation or a relationship, as a way of asking questions she’d be too afraid to ask in everyday conversations.

     ‘Bare’ is the debut single from WILDES that will be streaming on Soundcloud, YouTube and Spotify from 21st February onwards and released officially via Hometown Records. It’s an honest, thoughtful and extremely raw debut, which is sure to see Walker compared with the likes of Elena Tonra.

Lyrics of “Bare” by WILDES

Hold me down

I'll steal the moon

I'll tear the night,

keep it from you.

Ooh ooh, ooh ooh

Ooh ooh, ooh ooh

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

Ooh ooh, ooh ooh

Hold me up

and watch me bloom

I'm a dangerous fire

a poison fume

Now I’m done staying,

Quit playing

I’m out on this.

I’ve spent too long lying,

And now I’m trying to hurt you.

But you’ve seen me bare,

You’ve seen me covered up

Maybe I’m not scared

What you’re thinking of

You’ve seen me here

And held me miles away,

Underneath my skin

Is all you’ll see today.

Ooh ooh, ooh ooh

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

Ooh ooh, ooh ooh

I, could take you there,

If, you let me see

Why, you are the one,

Are you the one for me?

Time, is wasted and

I’m, not losing sleep

Don’t, just stand and stare

Come on and bare your teeth

[Repeat]

Come on and bare your teeth

{Repeating]

You’ve seen me bare

And seen me covered up

Maybe I’m not scared

What you’re thinking of

You’ve seen me here

And held me miles away

Underneath my skin

Is all you'll see today