I first heard the song Hooting & Howling somewhere online and was really taken aback at how simple and emotionally effective it was. The falsetto singing elevated it to a higher level. It begs the question: “Who can sing that high with so much presence?” Also, “What happened to that guy’s balls?” LOL, JK. Sorry, not sorry.

Upon listening to the rest of Two Dancers, I knew I had an instant classic on my hands and listened to it on repeat for several months. I really liked the playful lyrics juxtaposed with seemingly simplistic songs. When you really dig in, it’s clear that there is a lot of complexity to the music, especially in some of the rhythms and harmonies that is not obvious on the surface. I also like how they have two lead singers, one with the high end, and the other with the low end. They trade off nicely throughout the 10 tracks.

In total, the Wild Beasts released five albums before breaking up in 2018, but this, their sophomore album, still remains my favorite. I really like the cohesiveness of the songs and how it feels like it has a special purpose. If nothing else, it served to push the boundaries of modern indie rock whether people were paying attention or not.

Neither the band nor the album ever got enough love as far as I’m concerned. I guess it is better to burn out than to fade away. At least, I can still revisit this masterpiece whenever it pleases me.