by Shaina Mangino
What’s in name? A lot, apparently.
With sweet vocals and wild, fast-paced rhythms, this Birmingham, Alabama, quintet most certainly lives up to its name, Wild Sweet Orange.
Opening for Beyond Tomorrow on Friday, February 22, 2008, at one of downtown Athens’s most popular venues, 40 Watt, Wild Sweet Orange had some competition. The slim audience didn’t bode well and it looked as if the crowd that had arrived early just wanted to kick back and enjoy some drinks and play some pool until headliners Beyond Tomorrow arrived to give their farewell performance for friends and fans.
Suddenly, Chip Kilpatrick started pounding away on the drums. The vibrations rushed through my body. Wild Sweet Orange looked excited and ready to let the music run through their fingers.
Their opening song’s heavy, percussive beats effortlessly melded with Preston Lovinggood’s mellow lead vocals. It was an unusual sound, but in a good way. Their music is slow and soft with a surprising thunderous roar. They have promise.
Unfortunately, much of the audience hadn’t the faintest idea as to what they were singing. One girl asked if I knew the lyrics. No clue. Maybe it was simply an acoustics problem. It sounded like static, almost as if someone had left the television set tuned to one of those annoyingly fuzzy stations we all love so much. Every now and then a clear sentence would leak out, but nothing complete enough to add insight into what the lyrics were saying. However, Lovinggood’s soothing voice shined despite the poor sound quality.
Wild Sweet Orange looked comfortable not only on stage, but also in how they presented themselves. Their messy hair and t-shirt and jeans attitude were refreshing to see. They seemed to care more about the music and the emotion behind it than putting on a flashy show. They also interacted well with one another. There was a lot of jumping and dancing. Oh yeah, and we can’t forget the bouncing. Bassist Garret Kelly looked cracked out as he fiercely shook his head throughout the entire 45-minute performance. How was he not dizzy? How could he keep playing without falling over? It was a mystery.
One of the most popular songs of the evening, “Top Dead Dogs,” filled the space with a dreamy electric guitar. The touches of techno in the song added some duality to the airy quality of Lovinggood’s voice as he sang “Ah, ah, ah” throughout the chorus.
Sharing a single mic, guitarists Matt Parsons and Taylor Shaw harmonized well, adding another layer of interest to Wild Sweet Orange’s eclectic musical stylings.
As their set came to a close, the audience definitely started warming up to these quirky guys and 40 Watt was packed. Everyone looked like they were having a great time. People were on their feet by the eighth and final song, which was about the suburbs, Lovinggood said right before he began to play. One guy in the audience even began to wildly play the air drums. Hilarious.
Wild Sweet Orange has much potential. They credit Emmylou Harris and David Lynch as their primary influences with Harris having the overall folky quality of their songs and Lynch having the techno, intricate undertones of their drums and guitar playing. Even though many of their songs sounded similar, they had distinctive touches giving them a sound all their own. Kilpatrick’s drum playing had great body and dept as well. Their unique blend of sweet, folky ballads with more classic rock beats will make them go far. Whether or not you’re into the Indie music scene, Wild Sweet Orange’s raw talent is something almost anyone could appreciate and their creative percussion section will keep people listening.
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