“In case I make It,” is Will Wood’s latest album, released on July 29th, 2022. The record is composed of 16 songs, and it’s the sixth full-length album released by the artist.
This album breaks the mold of modern record releases, making the tracks that highlight storytelling to be an average of four or five minutes long. The record is able to encapsulate distinct human emotions: intimacy, grieving, afraid of messing up, and more. Wood has a distinct songwriting style, as a lot of the songs from this album include short choruses that change the lyrics to spice the tracks up. The instrumentals also change as the songs move forward, with a tendency of getting to the climax right before the outro starts.“In case I make It,” starts with “Tomcat Disposables,” setting up the narrative and including questions about the basic nature of life. The second track, “Becoming the Lastnames,” is the longest song in this album being over seven minutes long. The track explains how the right person can make you rethink long-term relationships, getting married, and building a family.
“Cicada Days” comes next, with soft instrumentals that explode during the last chorus with powerful drums and guitar sounds. The lyrics highlight that disheartening feeling of slipping away from your relationship while trying to find peace. “Euthanasia” is the most personal track on the album. Wood explained during his Reddit AMA that this song is about how devastated he was after his pet rat’s passing. The song describes grief not only as mourning but also as the lack of sharing love to your pets when they are no longer beside you. “Falling Up” explains why ambition and indecision come into play while making a risky decision. “That’s Enough, Let’s Get You Home” includes pre-choruses that keep a fast pace. The track talks about the precious feeling of intimacy that you can share with someone. “Um, it’s Kind of a Lot” explains how you shouldn’t be afraid to experience true love. Wood exposes his general fears in the first verse, whereas he exposes his fears while getting to know someone on a deeper level during the second verse. “Half-Decade Hangover” has chaotic instrumentals, as the piano and the drums, don’t have a set structure, but the lyrics fit right in, as they internally reflect on the amount of time that’s yet to be lived, like in the lyric “Oh great, another half a century to live to regret, I’d rather be anybody else instead”. “Vampire Reference in a Minor Key” gives a distinct tango vibe thanks to the guitar intro and outro. The song includes vampire references, such as “So if anybody needs me, I’ll be in my coffin,” or “I’ll be up day-walking back from the dead for you”. “You Liked This (Okay, Computer!)” is a spoken-word bit, criticizing how social media comes hand in hand with emotional manipulation. The repetition of the line “you liked this” makes it seem as if the user crafted their algorithm. “The Main Character” flows right after the last track, pointing out how the main character in different types of media should always be the hero. Even though “Against the Kitchen Floor” has upbeat instrumentals, the lyrics explore resilience, growth, and loneliness. The title ties the track together, giving imagery to that feeling of beating yourself up if you don’t feel like you’ve tried hard enough. “Sex, Drugs, Rock ‘n’ Roll” only features a piano and Wood’s vocals while he thinks about his public persona. The line “I hate proving that I’m still human after all” highlights how the analysis of his flaws has caught up with him. “Big Fat Bitchie’s Blueberry Pie, Christmas Tree, and Recreational Jell-o Emporium a.k.a. 'Mr. Boy is on the Roof Again'" breaks the somber mood of the previous song by being a 47-second instrumental. “Willard!” is based on the 1971 horror movie “Willard.” The movie tells the story of a social misfit that uses his pet rats to get revenge on his enemies, and the song includes sound effects from the trailer and references throughout it. The last song, “White Noise,” gives importance to silence, comparing it to high-art concepts, like the Philharmonic or the Metropolitan Opera House.
The combination of different instrumentals and deep concepts makes “In case I make It,” a unique album to explore its lyrics in more detail thanks to Wood’s particular singing and storytelling.
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