Oliver Wilde: Post-Frenz Container Buzz – sonic genius at work in Bristol

Post-Frenz Container Buzz
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Artist: Oliver Wilde
Genre: Alternative
Label: Howling Owl Records

There must be something in the water in Bristol, because for the past 40 years the UK city has frequently delivered artists who take chances and make decisions based on doing things in an odd but brilliant way. Oliver Wilde continues that creative approach, not only advancing clever sonic/stylistic designs on his previous two albums (2013's A Brief Introduction to Unnatural Lightyears and 2014's Red Tide Opal in the Loose End Womb) but also simply being better at what he does. Framing serious subjects (suicide, love, varying degrees of physical and mental health, gender issues) in the kind of crunchy, rhythmic pop/rock/noise that doesn't drift too far away from Beck, Conor Oberst and/or My Bloody Valentine, Wilde's music bears most of the hallmarks of incipient genius. oliver-wilde.com

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in popular culture