There’s a decidedly visual feel to the fourth full-length solo release by former Coctails (and current Sea and Cake) guitarist Archer Prewitt. While that by itself may not be a much of a surprise—he is, after all, an accomplished visual artist and illustrator as well as musician—what’s surprising is the subtlety with which Wilderness’ well-crafted soundscapes etch their way into a listener’s consciousness. Utilizing nuance and shadings rather than splashy colors or broad strokes, Prewitt’s songs take their time unfolding, giving the album a meditative quality that’s pretty admirable.
Ably abetted by Mark Greenberg (bass, keyboards) and ex-Poi Dog Pondering keyboardist/trumpeter Dave Max Crawford (who also arranged the strings and horns that periodically peek through various tracks), Prewitt continues to show the influence of latter-day Beatles in his sonic tendencies (the phased strings on the title tune, the ethereal, exotic Mellotron accenting “O, KY”), and the wistfulness of obvious touchstone Nick Drake in his lyrical approach (“Seems like forty days and eighty nights,” he sighs on “Go Away”). Still, his penchant for late-breaking, diverting codas on tracks like “Think Again” and “Cheap Rhyme” reveal an ambitious, singular side to Prewitt’s music. “When you don’t know where to go, take it out on the open road,” he sings on “Judy, Judy”—an apt description of this entire intriguing affair.