Remi Wolf delivers fantastic, diverse indie pop-rock on Mud.

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TOP 5

5. Moon So High

“Moon So High” is a soft rock track featuring John Mayer on guitar and shared vocals. On this track, Remi Wolf can’t meet her partner’s expectations. Despite knowing that she can’t reach them, her partner still set them that high anyway. The guitar part is stunning, and Remi’s vocals blend very well with John Mayer’s.

4. Bottle

“Bottle” is a pop rock song about grief that I sense some country influences in as well. The guitar-driven track is about Remi dealing with the grief of losing the person she’s singing about, and sometimes, the only thing getting her out of bed is the idea of having a drink to cope. The song is likely about a breakup that she’s grieving, but it could be a friendship ending or a death as well. I love how versatile it is.

Despite the song being so sad, the melody and instrumentation are so catchy and upbeat that you almost don’t notice unless you’re listening to the lyrics. I really like that juxtaposition. It’s been stuck in my head since I first heard it.

3. Jamie

Jamie is an atmospheric, indie rock track about the character’s ex, Jamie, whom she murdered. Maybe I’m biased towards this song because I have a friend named Jamie, but I really love the unique sound of this track. The verses are spoken, while the choruses showcase her powerful, almost screaming vocals. I love the lyrics as well. The perspective of a remorseful killer is always an interesting one, and Remi does a great job with the narrative featured on both this song and “Covered In Mud.”

2. Covered In Mud

Speaking of “Covered In Mud,” that’s the next track on the list. It blends indie pop, indie rock, and alternative country, and emulates the classic country song structure that has been loved for generations: female murderers. Carrie Underwood, The Chicks, Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, and even Taylor Swift have all contributed to that category (just to name a few), and Remi Wolf has added herself to the list.

The blend of country and rock is always reminiscent of an outlaw to me, even if it’s not outlaw country, and while this is primarily pop, I love the outlaw feel earlier in the song. Remi’s vocals are fantastic here. Her belting is so powerful and raw. “Covered In Mud” is such an impressive track in every sense of the word.

1. Guess

“Guess” is a folk-influenced track about a relationship that doesn’t meet expectations on either side, in different directions. It shares similar themes to “Moon So High.” Remi’s partner has unreasonable expectations for her that align with how their mother treated them, and Remi expected them to lose their head like her father would. The person’s expectations are really getting to her, and she’s constantly either tuning her partner out or having to guess what it is they want from her.

They’re never satisfied. Remi’s vocals are stunning on this track. Her head voice is beautiful, but the moments where she belts are so powerful and impressive. I love the way her belt contrasts with the quiet instrumentation that’s present for most of the song.

SONG BY SONG RATING

Bottle (4.5/5)

Champagne (4/5)

Twiggy (4/5)

Burn Me Blue (4/5)

Jamie (4.5/5)

Covered In Mud (5/5)

Moon So High (4.5/5)

I Won’t Cry (4/5)

Wine Drunk (4/5)

Guess (5/5)

Yellow Rose (4.5/5)

RGM RATING

Mud is a fantastic album. Every song is strong, and Remi Wolf shines on every track. Her voice is fantastic, as are her lyrics, and I love this folk/country-influenced indie rock sound for her. There are so many different genres that influence Mud, but it all works cohesively.

I love when artists don’t go fully autobiographical, so I love how songs like “Jamie” and “Covered In Mud” are stories that are clearly not about Remi. The production is fantastic, with Remi’s voice blending beautifully with the instrumentation. This album was clearly made by people who love making music. While that’s probably true of most albums, sometimes you can just sense it, and that’s there on Mud. Everything is so meticulously crafted, and I’ll definitely come back to this repeatedly this autumn. It’s a great fall album.

Emma Platt