Wild Rivers

Canadian outfit Wild Rivers fuse the honeyed vocal blend of Devan Glover and Khalid Yassein with an unhurried, grounded folk-rock palette shaped by both present-day indie folk and the classic singer/songwriter sound of the early 1970s. Their 2018 EP Eighty-Eight and the 2020 release Songs to Break Up To showcase this approach. Shortly after the more elaborately produced Sidelines appeared in early 2022, the Wrabel collaboration “Thinking ’Bout Love” emerged as their breakthrough single, securing a 2023 Juno Award nomination for Breakthrough Group of the Year and lifting the band’s visibility before the arrival of their third full-length, Never Better, in 2024.

Toronto serves as the group’s home base. The project originated with the songwriting partnership between Glover on vocals and Yassein on vocals and guitar; lead guitarist Andrew Oliver and drummer Julien Laferriere soon joined, forming the initial quartet. Their 2016 self-titled debut under the Wild Rivers name accumulated millions of streams across major platforms. After signing with Nettwerk, the band maintained a rigorous touring schedule and delivered the well-received 2018 EP Eighty-Eight, whose five songs were captured in sessions spanning Nashville and Ontario. The 2020 EP Songs to Break Up To followed, incorporating synths and studio effects into the group’s sonic range. After Laferriere’s exit, the 2021 single “Love Gone Wrong” extended their movement toward denser textures.

Sidelines, the band’s second album, surfaced in February 2022 and emphasized introspective themes through its warm, expansive production. One month later the standalone Wrabel track “Thinking ’Bout Love” achieved gold status in Canada and multi-platinum certification in Australia. The success of that single, together with the Juno nomination, strengthened Wild Rivers’ reputation on the road; in 2023 they supported the Chicks on the American group’s global tour and also shared bills with Noah Kahan. While preparing their next record they issued the singles “Cave” and “Anyways, I Love You,” both of which appear on Never Better. Co-produced by Gabe Wax, whose credits include the War on Drugs and Adrianne Lenker, the album reached listeners in July 2024.