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It’s almost by happenstance how I discovered Wild Sweet Orange. I was surfing the blog of the amazingly talented band photographer, Taylor Christian Jones, and came across a posting with a Youtube video. Apparently Jones had met the band a few times and wanted to give them props for appearing on Letterman. After checking the video, I immediately called up editor-in-chief Jessica and told her, “Get me this album!”

We Have Cause To Be Uneasy starts in melodic and surreal with the first track “Ten Dead Dogs.” The vocals of Preston Lovinggood immediately grab you and pull you into the song. A tinge raspy, a tender cadence, and a confident delivery made me snap right to attention.

We Have Cause.. is an album that keeps you on your toes. It mixes a good folksy sensibility, with straight ahead indie rock edginess. However, you’re left wondering where exactly is this band trying to go with their sound.

“An Atlas to Follow” mixes almost rockabilly type vocal effects, with banjos and acoustic guitars with a bit of a country beat on drum. But earlier, in “Either_Or,” they were just rocking your ass off with distorted guitars and pounding bass and drums.

It would seem Wild Sweet Orange took a page out of the Modest Mouse play book by mixing up multiple genres into an eclectic mix from song to song. Most people would probably cringe at the comparison, but it’s actually a compliment. Often times bands get shit for wandering from style to style inside the same album. In the case of these guys, it works.

For the money, Lovinggood’s vocals are worth the price of admission alone. But if you want more than that, this is most surely an album that mixes it up so much you hopefully will keep listening to it in order to discover something different each time.

Wild Sweet Orange’s We Have Cause To Be Uneasy drops July 22nd on Canvasback Music. You can catch the band on tour throughout the summer.

Tour Dates:
8/01 – Pontiac, MI – Crofoot Ballroom
8/03 – Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
8/04 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
8/05 – Rock Island, IL – Daytrotter
8/06 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theatre
8/08 – Boulder, CO – AAA Convention
8/10 – Austin, TX – Stubbs Jr.
8/11 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Studio
8/12 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues
8/13 – Shreveport, LA – The Rustic Cowboy
8/14 – Memphis, TN – High Dive
8/20 – Nashville, TN – Backyard at the Belcourt (with The Whigs and American Bang)
8/30 – Columbia, SC – 5 Points Pub
8/31 – Charleston, SC – Village Tavern
9/08 – Baltimore, MD – Fletchers
9/13 – Tampa, FL – WMNF Birthday Bash
9/14 – Gainesville, FL – Real Big Deal Fest
8/27 – Orlando, FL – The Social *
8/28 – Gainesville, FL – Common Ground *
8/29 – Athens, GA – 40 Watt *
9/02 – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre *
9/03 – Charlottesville, NC – The Gravity Lounge *
9/04 – Philadelphia, PA – the Khyber *
9/05 – Brooklyn, NY – Southpaw *
9/06 – Hoboken, NJ – Maxwells *
9/09 – Richmond, VA - Canal Room *
9/10 – Greensboro, NC – Greene Street *
9/11 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl *
9/12 – Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits *

*w/ What Made Milwaukee Famous

Wild Sweet Orange: website | myspace | live review

Hailing from Birmingham, Al., it’s no surprise that rock quartet Wild Sweet Orange features a slight country, down South twinge in their music. Front man Preston Lovinggood, who plays the acoustic guitar and sings, and company create mellow and melodic tunes just as easily as they rock out with harder but poppier songs with that audible country influence.

Drummer Chip Kilpatrick pounds away on the kit, making hook-filled beats to get you moving, while electric guitar play Taylor Shaw absolutely shreds through his riffs on the hard rocking tunes. The band’s set at the TLA in Philadelphia was a mismash of chilled out songs good for driving and jaunty songs high in energy that you’re better off dancing around to. The richness in Wild Sweet Orange’s songs fortunately make up for their wanting stage banter, as does their concern for fans. Lovinggood stopped dead in the middle of a song to check on the status of a female fan at the front of the stage. She must have fallen or passed out and Lovinggood immediately halted Wild Sweet Orange’s performance to offer the girl water and call security over to take care of her. Once security had stepped in, the band picked up right where they’d left off.

Opener David Ford was brought out to join Wild Sweet Orange on “a hillbilly country tune to remind us of home,” according to Lovinggood, since Ford hails from the south of England and Wild Sweet Orange is native to the southern United States. The crowd was ecstatic as Ford played the harmonica with the Alabama quartet in a high energy frenzy that lasted until the set’s end. Just before leaving the stage, Lovinggood thanked the audience for “respecting us as musicians and as people,” a slightly odd but touching sentiment.

Wild Sweet Orange puts on a dynamic and well-played set that is sure to please. You can catch them on tour through June with Augustana and David Ford, as well as at this year’s Lollapalooza.

Tour Dates:
May 26 – The Brewery/Raleigh
May 27 – City Hall/Nashville
May 28 – Variety Playhouse/Atlanta
May 30 – Culture Room/Ft. Lauderdale
Jun 02 – House of Blues/New Orleans
Jun 03 – Meridian/Houston
Jun 04 – Antone’s/Austin
Jun 05 – House of Blues/Dallas
Jun 07 – Brickhouse Theater/Phoenix
Jun 09 – The Troubadour/West Hollywood
Jun 10 – The Troubadour/West Hollywood
Jun 11 – The Troubadour/West Hollywood
Jun 12 – House of Blues/San Diego
Jun 13 – Fillmore/San Francisco
Jun 15 – House of Blues/Anaheim
Aug 3 – Lollapalooza 2008 @ Grant Park/Chicago

Wild Sweet Orange: website | myspace

Wild Sweet Orange will be releasing a new full-length, We Have Cause To Be Uneasy, out July 15th on Canvasback Music. You can catch the band previewing the album on tour now with Augustana and David Ford. Listen to “Ten Dead Dogs” now.

Tour Dates:
May 13 – Metro - Chicago, IL
May 14 – St. Andrew’s Hall - Detroit, MI
May 16 – Mod Club – Toronto, ON
May 17 – Saints Showbar – Montreal, QB
May 19 – Paradise Rock Club – Boston MA
May 20 – Maxwell’s – Hoboken, NJ
May 21 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY
May 22 - 9:30 Club – Washington, DC
May 23 – TLA - Philadelphia, PA
May 24 – The Norva – Norfolk, VA
May 25 – The National – Richmond, VA
May 27 – City Hall - Nashville, TN
May 28 – Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA
May 30 – Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
June 02 – House of Blues – New Orleans, LA
June 03 – Meridien - Houston, TX
June 04 – Antone’s – Austin, TX
June 05 – House Of Blues – Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX
June 07 – Brickhouse Theater – Phoenix, AZ
June 09 – Troubador - Los Angeles, CA
June 10 – Troubador - Los Angeles, CA
June 11 – Troubador - Los Angeles, CA
June 12 – House Of Blues – San Diego, CA
June 13 – Fillmore Theatre – San Francisco, CA
June 15 – House Of Blues – Anaheim, CA

Wild Sweet Orange: myspace | stream “Ten Dead Dogs”
Canvasback Music: website