On The Mowgli’s latest effort, I Was Starting to Wonder, they hone in on all of the best parts of their sound and deliver an outstanding EP from start to finish. With three full-length albums to their name thus far and multiple sold-out touring campaigns, The Mowgli’s realize who they truly are on this EP: a talented band that focuses on the optimistic side of life.
The album kicks off with “I Feel Good About This” and gets the Summertime vibes started early, and it fits perfectly with the cover art of a day out in the sun with friends. The two lead vocalists, Colin Dieden and Katie Earl, harmonize beautifully on the chorus here as they sing, “I’ve been looking for love in the distance/Down the sidewalks of cities I visit/Up the coast looking for something different/All along you were there but I missed it/I don’t know what it is but I feel good about this.” The themes of looking for love while still staying true to themselves are prevalent in this great collection of songs perfect for the end of the Summer season.
“Best of Us” follows this song with an electronic-tinged beat and lyrics such as, “Been sleeping in more/More than I’m proud of/Make plans in the evening/Gotta get myself out of/Somethings never change/Same shit as yesterday” showcase these artists as going through the same struggles most of us go through in at least some part of our lives. The song itself reminded me a lot of similar artists such as Smallpools, yet this is some of the best work The Mowgli’s have put out to date.
On the third track, “Kansas City,” which is a direct shout-out to the last date of their tour stop as well as a general love song to the city itself. Colin Dieden wears his heart on his sleeve in the introduction when he confesses, “Leaving this time kinda feels like old news/I’m not coming through this time, gonna miss you/And oh, it’s been too long/Five weeks in a bus, sick of seein’ you in the rearview/Been in a new town, got the same issues to work through/Turns out when you move you just take them all with you/Now I’m missing Kansas City.” Dieden’s honesty about his struggles is easy to relate to and shows that artists are people too, and they have the same types of doubts and worries that most of us go through.
This earnest approach to their songwriting and lyrical content pays significant dividends as The Mowgli’s have taken the best parts of their previous three albums and incorporated them correctly into these four songs. By the time you hit the final song, “Real Good Life,” it’s hard not to be sucked into the good vibes coming through the speakers and leave our troubles at the door. The Mowgli’s should be incredibly proud of this EP and have showcased their staying power in the music scene with an album worthy of our full attention.