For the uninitiated, Will Wood has fashioned himself as an enigmatic musician with a knack for exhilarating, avant garde piano rock. When you comb through his catalog, you are likely to find it chock full of captivating compositions that hinge upon Wood’s innate ability for majestically offbeat melodies and enthralling artistry. However, as evident in one of his most recent singles, “Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Wood is looking to shed his previous creative persona and step into a new identity.
With his latest single, “Tomcat Disposables,” the new Will Wood tries on an alt-folk aesthetic for size. Instead of a cavalcade of sound, the singer-songwriter goes after a more simplistic, yet elegant approach. Winding its way from easy, breezy folk to low key, symphonic ballad, it is the latest musical contraption from one of the more fascinating figures you may find in today’s music.
To create the perfect mouse trap, you will need to be as cunning as the pest you intend to ensnare. The same goes for composing an effective melody. From the top, Wood is stealthy in his melodic pursuits with a sweet acoustic intro. Whether it is a tic tok drum pattern, an eerie whistle or a dreamy xylophone slide, you observe all the fine components of a majestic epic come together. When assembled, you are witness to a finely tuned mechanism that begins covertly, but hums along with wondrous, intricate detail that seizes your undivided attention.
Running parallel to the melodic machinery, Wood regales us with a tale from the lonesome point of view of an aspirational rat. While dreams of family and food dance in its head, a hefty, existential question looms large: “is there cheese in the great beyond?” Visions of “rinds of Parmesan” are what await beyond this scavenger’s existence. Eventually, our rodent friend meets their end. But, not before Wood gives a proper send off that culminates with a solemnly sweet “goodbye so long” to close out a heartfelt tune.
Fittingly enough, “Tomcat Disposables” ends with the snap of a mouse trap. It may as well be a thunder clap to signify the changing of Will Wood’s musical guard. If appearances are to be believed, we are being introduced to another side of a multifaceted artist.
Written by Travis Boyer
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