Will Wood announced his tour “Slouching Towards Bethlehem” earlier this year after a two year hiatus from music, exciting long time fans. Known for his strange and alternative music, he has found an audience among “weird” kids feeling like outcasts.
Will Wood launched his music career with “Everything is a Lot” in 2015, under the band name “Will Wood and the Tapeworms”. The album was very experimental, featuring extremely discordant sounds, theatrically characterized stories and themes surrounding psychosis or drug abuse. His next album “SELF-iSH” in 2016 shared many characteristics with “Everything is a Lot”, but leaned more into the rock genre. The songs also revolved around more abstract themes and storylines, with lyrics just as strange and difficult to decipher as his previous album.
“The Normal Album” in 2020 was then released solely under Will Wood’s name. The sounds and themes vary wildly from one track to the next, managing to juggle identity, critiques of suburban elitism and the invalidation of mental illness all in the span of 45 minutes. Wood’s theatrical singing, impressive range, unique instrumentals and fascinating lyrics blend to elevate the album and make it a truly memorable listen (and one of my personal favorites as a whole).
In 2021, Will Wood was commissioned to write a soundtrack for a podcast called “Camp Here and There”. After adding lyrics to some of the instrumentals, he published “Camp Here and There: Campfire Songs Edition” in 2021, creating a uniquely atmospheric album that differed from the rest of his discography.
His latest album “‘In case I make it,’” was released in 2022 and was a considerable shift from his established style of music. This was then followed by a hiatus from music until the announcement of his tour earlier this year. “In case I make it” commented on and condemned the persona Will Wood had built up in the earlier years of his music career, creating distance between the artist’s previous image. Wood made it clear through the album his resentment for the box he forced himself into with his persona, and how it became dishonest and a hindrance to his progress. The album felt more genuine; instead of his previously signature discordance, the album had a new vulnerability with softer and less discordant sounds. His usual biting lyricism was replaced with sincere, heart wrenching storytelling. While Wood is extremely private, he has been open about his past struggles with addiction and his bipolar disorder diagnosis. The record addressed some of these struggles, showing a new side to the artist with songs tackling themes like self hatred, overcoming addiction, attempting to get better and accepting love. While his previous albums have referenced substance abuse and mental health before, “In case I make it” did not glorify or take these issues lightly, instead showcasing a desire for accountability and improvement on the artist’s part. While the album may have seemed like a hard shift to fans, many accepted the change with great enthusiasm, loving the authenticity and potent storytelling of many of the songs. As a long time fan myself, the album felt like an abrupt shift the first time I heard it but quickly became my favorite for its vulnerable topics and openness.
The announcement of Wood’s tour “Slouching Towards Bethlehem” in August on the artist’s Instagram interrupted his two year hiatus and overjoyed his fans. The singer would be touring North America with Shayfer James in October through early December.
Since the start of his career, Will Wood had been a beacon for those who felt like outcasts. He was defined by his strange and out-there sound, his alternative style of music that varied so drastically from more mainstream artists. His lyricism swung from sarcastic and biting to vulnerable and raw, and even with a shift in his style, he continued to create an authentic atmosphere that drew in “weird” kids. Wood’s powerful storytelling and lyrical abilities as well as his overall style created a close knit and devoted community of fans, especially within a younger audience trying to find footing in feeling different. For many, seeing a “strange” artist be so loved and accepted assured them that they could find acceptance in who they truly were as well, making many feel less alone. The new tour came as an unexpected surprise to many fans and has come with a hope of his renewed future in music.
Personally, I sincerely hope Will Wood continues to release music, regardless of what direction he chooses to go in. As someone who has found comfort and community through his art, I am excited to see more of his work and to see him grow as an artist.
