On the heels of her critically acclaimed debut Reckless (released March 19 via Thirty Tigers/Ladylike Records), Morgan Wade continues to reveal her innate propensity for storytelling with today’s release of the official music video for lead single “Wilder Days.” The tattooed songstress leans into the role of her buttoned-up alter ego as she roams the city of Nashville with fellow artist Josh Jakub, sitting uncomfortably through a we’ve-all-been-there date at local cocktail bar Rosemary while envisioning the contrasting evening of pool and dancing at famed Santa’s Pub that could have been their reality had the characters met years earlier.
“Who were you before I knew your name? Were you drunk at midnight waiting for the train? You could have been anyone back then…” croons Wade over the juxtaposed images, breathing added life into the song praised by Rolling Stone as a “polished country-rock gem” with an “unmistakable Eighties vibe.”
Wade’s debut quickly garnered applause from critics, with Rolling Stone sharing, “Reckless addresses sobriety and sex with shades of Don Henley and Tom Petty,” and that the Va. native “Excels at Country-Pop on Her Debut Album.” Wade also earned a spot in “RS Recommends” in the April issue of Rolling Stone, on stands now, noting the 10-track record “is a moving mix of country-roots and 1980s radio rock; think Lucinda Williams meets Joan Jett.”
Acknowledging the honesty in her songwriting, USA Today/Tennessean praises Wade as an “unvarnished voice straddling country and rock ‘n’ roll with stories of lionhearted truth,” and BroBible observes that she “carries an authenticity into the new-school country music that genre severely lacks.”
Working alongside Paul Ebersold and Sadler Vaden, the trio accomplished a balance on Reckless recognized by No Depression, proclaiming, “Reckless is intended for radio success and it holds on to authenticity, that elusive quality. Wade has pulled a neat trick on her very first album.” Americana Highways shared a similar sentiment, asserting “Reckless finds the sonic midpoint between Wade’s tough-edged live shows and slicker, radio-friendly country.”
Upon its release, Wade earned her first appearance on the Billboard Heatseekers and Emerging Artist charts, followed by a feature for the outlet’s “Emerging Artists Spotlight,” and has landed on over 30 prominent playlists, including the cover of Spotify’s coveted Indigo playlist and Apple Music’s Country Risers of the Week.
This weekend, Wade will perform “Wilder Days” on CBS “This Morning: Saturday” on April 10, along with “Don’t Cry,” noted by MusicRow as “confessional and soul baring…the overall vibe is kinda like ‘70s singer-songwriter-troubadour” and pop-influenced “Last Cigarette,” which Rolling Stone remarks has an “earworm hook” that “would be right at home with mainstream country’s biggest streaming hits.” Click HERE to see when and where to watch in your city.
Reckless is available everywhere now.
