Potently countrified but not removed from a traditional pop simplicity, there’s no need for debating whether or not the vocals are the best part of Wild Fire’s “Just to Have Someone.” Rather than trying to be fanciful in their latest work, Wild Fire (Kayla and Kelli Iutzwig) are actually stepping back the level of ambition they showed in their last couple of singles in favor of employing a stripped-down, harmony-centric sound for this all-new single. Ironically enough, their decision yields what could be one of the more robust and stirring performances they’ve produced together in the studio thus far, coupling the best parts of their country sound with just the right amount of rock-inspired rhythm to really get us vibing with the music right from the get-go. This is an act that doesn’t require a lifelong love of American country to appreciate, but for those who do, theirs is a truly awesome sound.
MORE ON WILDFIRE: www.wildfiresings.com/
The chorus in “Just to Have Someone” isn’t the only source of catharsis in this track; in fact, quite the contrary indeed. There’s already such a sense of freedom and unburdened exploration as we wander through the opening verses beside the lead vocals, their tone indicating a lust for the unknown only surpassed by the warmth of the guitar in the background. We never run into any melodic walls or ridiculous spots of filler that keep us from getting to the guts of the song; truth be told, there’s such a strong fluidity to this performance that I would recommend Wild Fire going with more of a minimalistic setup from here on out.
I will say that I would have liked just a bit more muscle out of the percussion than what we’re ultimately offered in the master mix of “Just to Have Someone,” but I also can’t say that I don’t enjoy the moderate sway of the beat in this version of the song, either. Wild Fire are just so remarkably good at weaving together fragility with just the right amount of melodic moxie, and in this case it compensates for the very notion of any element here being too conservative in stylization. This isn’t an amateur act at all, and if there was any arguing over that point prior to this single’s release, there certainly won’t be now.
FAN LINK: wildfire.fanlink.to/justtohavesomeone
Expanding their catalogue quite exponentially while continuously demonstrating the sort of growth that most acts would spend at least five or six years cultivating into producible existence, Wild Fire are showing me just how ready they are to take on international stardom in “Just to Have Someone.” This is a big league single that breathes vitality in every avenue of its expressiveness, and despite the popular perception of country music’s indie artistry narrowing its core aesthetics in the 2020s, a crossover like this proves quite the opposite. I doubt “Just to Have Someone” will be the last hit this pair releases in their career together, but for the time being I would personally rank it as their best piece of material yet.
Clay Burton