Adam Wendler is a Canadian musician from Ontario, Canada. However, the multi-instrumentalist is nowadays living in the German capital Berlin. If you trust the press kit to his 25th August 2023 album release, his typical reply on the question How are you is Living the Dream – and that’s exactly the title of the album. Depending on the mood of the listener, the genre is folk–pop or country music with surf sound (or surf country how the press kit is naming it). Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? I had a listen.
Adam Wendler – About The Artist
Adam Wendler started to do music at the age of 15, when he received his first guitar. Since some ten years, he is actively writing and releasing own songs. He grew with live appearances as well as on social media like YouTube. Typically, he is doing all instruments on stage on his own, using a loop station, a kick drum and a harmonica. He has released four albums so far, the last one being The Compass LP in June 2020. In May 2023, Wendler had a single release together with Shoby, Pressure, which had almost one million Spotify streams so far.
Adam Wendler – Living the Dream – Track by Track
The twelve song album lasts 34 minutes. Half of the tracks have already been released as single (or double singles)
1. Everybody’s Getting Famous
Everybody’s getting famous, I don’t wanna be nameless are the first words of Living the Dream. The song is about the struggle of become famous – and especially about with the struggle about it (Maybe there is something wrong with me). The sound feels simple, but is very catching and stays in your mind easily. The surf music touch is undeniable.
2. For Today
For Today is a bit slower and comes with a clapping sound. Adam Wendler spreads joy and sunshine in songs like this one. We’re just living for today is a very optimistic and uplifting thought as well. LIke it.
3. Time to Shine
Good rhythm, good vibes, good music – that’s about the short story of the third song. Maybe it’s my time to shine? is the key question of this song. Bad luck that this song just had 16k streams on Spotify so far. It is such a summer vibe track.
4. Sex and Champagne
I want you on my body, I got you on my mind – the muses of love also hit the world of the Canadian artist. Sex and Champagne has a great groove, the rhythm of the song is making you move to the sound. Cool.
5. Lost in a Moment
Most of the songs on Living the Dream are shorter than three minutes. Lost in a Moment is even one of the shortest ones (2:20 minutes). This also means that the album feels very versatile, there is always some new happening. Nonetheless, tracks like this one leave a mark in the context of the whole album.
6. OMG (That Booty)
The opening of the sixth song is spreading Latin music vibes. The song is a hot love story (There is no second best, she’s better than the rest). The keyboard-alike theme gets more present in the second half of the track and has a lot of the easy feel of a pop song.
7. More Than Paradise
If you want to have a feeling how that surf country thing sounds like, More Than Paradise is a good option to listen to. However, there are quite some influences finally which lead to a lovely sound. One of my favorite listens.
8. Smoking Gun
Smoking Gun is a rather slow song, but it has a lot of these sun and summer vibes. The sound of the eighth song is rather modern. Again, the blending of different genres leads to a lovely listen.
9. Make You Wanna
Make You Wanna strongly focuses on Adam Wendler’s vocals, so that the song feels like a narration with a strong groove. But there are also some nice feelgood elements in here.
10. Never Fading
The vibe of Never Fading reminds my of the German folktronica gods Milky Chance. The Kassel-origin band moved to Berlin just as Adam Wendler did. It’s a lifestyle, baby. Never fading is one of the songs which stay in your mind best.
11. Stay Till The End
Stay Till The End is a song which is coming back to a stronger country-pop heart. The stanzas could be part of a modern country song, the chorus is having a strong pop flavor, though.
12. No Worries
Melodically, No Worries feels like a nice essay of the sound of the album. A bit of country, a bit of folk, the ease of pop. However, the shortest song of the album does not work out as well as other songs as other Living the Dream ones.
Adam Wendler – Living the Dream – Spotify
Here is Living the Dream on Spotify:
Adam Wendler – Living the Dream – My View
The last words of the press kit to the album are Adam’s goal in life is to spread good vibes and he’s confident he will achieve that with this record. I feel he did it. The album contains some really nice listen, a lot of good mood and quite some summer and sunshine once we head towards fall. Not a top class album, but a record which makes you happy.
Favorite Song: OMG (That Booty)
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