We first featured The Wandering Lake over two years ago, when the Fayetteville resident (who’s real name is Brian Kupillas) made three really good releases in a nine month period. Since then, the project has been disappointingly quiet, the only sign a single (admittedly very good) track released in May of last year for the Stadium & Shrines ‘Dreams’ series. Luckily, this is about to change, with Kupillas taking The Wandering Lake on tour and releasing an EP in support. Even more excitingly, he says that the EP also acts as a demo for his first full-length album which will be entitled Wend to Why.
The EP consists of four songs, all of which represent quite a departure from the otherworldly experimentalism of previous releases. The sound here is more immediate, more confident, a step towards psych tinged folk rock. They sound more like super-chill campfire jams than shamanistic campfire wails. The good news is that each track is great! Check them out in the player below.
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I suppose it’s important to bear in mind that what we’re listening to is not quite the finished product. As Kupillas says on his Bandcamp page, “Here is a moment, imperfect as it was, captured and dressed for you. This isn’t all of it. This is a first glance of what was. There is more to come.” I for one am certainly excited for what comes next.
P.S. Here are The Wandering Lake’s upcoming tour dates. If any of the shows are near you, why not go check them out?
Thurs. Jan 29th – Nashville, TN @ The East Room
Fri. Jan. 30th – Lexington, KY @ The Green Lantern
Sat. Jan. 31st – Athens, OH @ The Pink Mattress
Sun. Feb. 1st – Murray, KY @ Terrapin Station
Mon. Feb. 2nd – St. Louis, MO @ FOAM
Tues. Feb. 3rd – Iowa City, IA @ Trumpet Blossom
Wed. Feb. 4th – Kansas City, MO @ Harlings
Thurs. Feb. 5th – Lawrence, KS @ The Replay Lounge
Fri. Feb. 6th – Fayetteville, AR @ JR’s Lightbulb Club
Sat. Feb. 7th – Little Rock, AR @ White Water Tavern