Wild Ones (Kip Moore album)

Wild Ones is the second studio album by American country music artist Kip Moore, released on August 21, 2015 via MCA Nashville. Following the success of his 2012 debut effort Up All Night, Moore reteamed with producer Brett James and brought in Chris DeStefano to work on new material for his next country album, crafting a more organic hard rock sound that supports the personal stories told throughout the thirteen tracks he co-wrote. Reviews for the record were positive, with critics praising Moore for incorporating rock elements throughout the track listing. Wild Ones debuted at numbers two and four on the Top Country Albums and Billboard 200 charts, respectively. It spawned two singles: "I'm to Blame" and "Running for You".[1] To promote the album, Moore performed on talk shows and headlined tours across North America.

Wild Ones
Studio album by Kip Moore
Released	August 21, 2015
Genre	country rock heartland rock roots rock
Length	47:32
Label	MCA Nashville
Producer	Brett James Chris DeStefano
Kip Moore chronology
Up All Night (2012) Wild Ones (2015) Slowheart (2017)
Singles from Wild Ones
"I'm to Blame" Released: February 2, 2015 "Running for You" Released: October 12, 2015

Background and development

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Moore said that the overall sound of the album was more organic after several soundchecks creating different grooves and having the band play various parts of the songs.[2] He also co-wrote all thirteen tracks on the record.[3]

Music and lyrics

The opening title track was described by Jon Freeman of Nash Country Weekly as "a simmering hymn about partying all night long."[4] The song utilizes a "U2-ish synth" as a bassline for the drum-based percussion, banjos and hand claps throughout the arrangement.[5] Magic" is described as a "soul-rock scorcher" that has Moore receive an unexplainable feeling he wants to hold onto, something he came up with because of his distrust of the fairy tale love songs on the radio.[6] Roughstock's Matt Bjorke found the song overall to be "loud and lovely" because of its "anthemic, open-armed chorus".[7] "That Was Us" is about the "small-town Saturday nights" that encapsulated Moore's teenage years in Georgia.[7] "Lipstick" is a tribute to the road song, with Moore listing off his favorite cities he and his band like to perform at.[8] The overall sound of the track utilizes a "Springsteen-esque riff" and some "pseudo-prototypical Mumfordian" shouts.[5] "What Ya Got On Tonight" revolves around a man away from his girlfriend, pleading for a picture showing her outfit to keep him under control.[4] "I'm to Blame" is a "mini-biography" about Moore willing to be the better man and admit the mistakes he's made in his past.[9][10] "Running for You" is a "breakup anthem" about a relationship that's run its course but they wish each other well.[11] Moore had originally written the track for his debut album Up All Night but cut it from the final track listing and scrapped the original version.[12] The inspiration for the song came from two previous relationships Moore was in: one that treated him fairly and the other that didn't. He had also went against his team's wishes of letting other big name country singers record the track.[12] The album closer, "Comeback Kid", is about the underdog that exists in every person.[7]

Singles and promotion

The album's first single, "I'm to Blame", was released on February 2, 2015.[13] It peaked at numbers 20 and 24 on both the Billboard Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts, respectively.[14][15] Its music video was directed by Peter Zavadil and premiered on April 2015.[16] The second and final single, "Running for You", was released on October 12, 2015.[17] It peaked at numbers 13 and 25 on both the Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts, respectively.[14][15] A music video for the single, directed by P. J. Brown, premiered on February 2016.[18]

On August 5, 2015, Moore announced a 20-city North American tour to support Wild Ones ahead of its release, beginning at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and ending at Richmond, Virginia.[19] On September 16, he performed "Come and Get It" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[20] On December 2, Moore announced a second leg of his tour for 2016, starting in Milwaukee and finishing in Anaheim, California.[21] On February 22, he performed "Running for You" on The Talk.[22][23] On June 20, Moore announced the Me and My Kind Tour, which took place in the fall of 2016. Moore was joined by special guest Jon Pardi.[24] On August 24, he performed the album's title track on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.[25][26]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	72/100[27]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[28]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[29]
Nash Country Weekly	B+[4]
PopMatters	[5]

Wild Ones received mostly positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 72 out of 100, which indicates "generally favorable reviews" based on 4 reviews.[27]

AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine surmised that "[If] Kip's songs aren't as hook-heavy or as sticky as his idols, it is nevertheless admirable that he's completely revamped his sound so he doesn't feel like anybody else in contemporary country -- not his bro country peers, not Church, not a red dirt refugee or macho rocker. He's effectively evoked the feel and aesthetic of mid-'80s heartland rock, and if that doesn't necessarily make him a wild one, it does make him a rebel of sorts."[28] Jon Freeman of Nash Country Weekly said, "The result feels a little something like those beloved '80s movies in spirit and aesthetic."[4] Entertainment Weekly's Madison Vain commented on Moore's musical aspirations: "His follow-up has bigger ambitions: Wild Ones is Springsteen-style rock that reaches for the stadium's nosebleeds. Moore hasn't ditched his country roots entirely, but it's the burn-the-barn-down stompers like "Come and Get It" that stick."[29] Jonathan Frahm of PopMatters suggested that "[I]f you're looking for something to break totally out of the rock-ready bro country mold, Wild Ones most certainly isn't your bag. If you're looking for something catchy, and somewhat more relatable than other offerings within the same expanse, than you've found just what you've needed."[5] Jeffrey B. Remz of Country Standard Time also gave note of the album's overall sound being more rock heavy and encouraging crowd participation, and Moore's musicianship taking cues from Church, Springsteen ("Complicated", "I'm to Blame") and John Mellencamp ("Comeback Kid"), concluding that he "doesn't exactly go wild in stretching out, but with a voice that's real and songs that suit him well, the wait was the hardest part."[30]

In 2017, Billboard contributor Chuck Dauphin placed two tracks from the album on his top 10 list of Moore's best songs: "Running for You" at number two and "I'm to Blame" at number six.[31]

Accolades

Publication	Rank	List
Entertainment Weekly	5	The 10 Best Country Albums of 2015[32]
Rolling Stone	6	40 Best Country Albums of 2015[33]

Commercial performance

Wild Ones debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top Country Albums chart with 40,000 equivalent album units; it sold 35,000 copies in its first week, with the remainder of its unit total reflecting the album's streaming activity and track sales.[34][35] On the Billboard 200, it left the top 100 the week of October 3, 2015 and stayed on the chart for four weeks.[36][37] As of July 2016, the album has sold 88,600 copies in the US.[38] In Canada, it debuted and peaked at number five on the Canadian Albums chart for the week of September 12.[39]

Track listing

Wild Ones track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Wild Ones"	Kip Moore Chris DeStefano Brett James	3:24
2.	"Come and Get It"	Moore James Manny Medina	4:57
3.	"Girl of the Summer"	Moore Troy Verges Blair Daly	3:59
4.	"Magic"	Moore Westin Davis Luke Dick	3:38
5.	"That Was Us"	Moore Davis Dan Couch	4:01
6.	"Lipstick"	Moore Justin Weaver David Frasier Davis	4:20
7.	"What Ya Got On Tonight"	Moore Verges Daly	3:02
8.	"Heart's Desire"	Moore Couch Adam Browder Erich Wigdahl	4:23
9.	"Complicated"	Moore DeStefano Rodney Clawson	3:04
10.	"I'm to Blame"	Moore Weaver Davis	2:17
11.	"That's Alright with Me"	Moore Couch Dick	3:38
12.	"Running for You"	Moore Verges Daly	3:35
13.	"Comeback Kid"	Moore Erik Dylan Ross Copperman Jeff Hyde	3:14
Total length:			47:32

Deluxe Edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
14.	"What I Do"	Caitlyn Smith Moore Steve Robson	3:28
15.	"Backseat"	Weaver Keifer Thompson Moore	3:22
16.	"Burn the Whole World Down"	James Moore	4:03

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[40]

Vocals

• Chris DeStefano – background vocals
• Brett James – background vocals
• Kip Moore – lead vocals

Production

Nick Brophy – engineer, mixing Chris DeStefano – engineer, mixing, producer, programming Mike "Frog" Griffith – production coordination Brett James – producer

Nate Lowery – production coordination Marc "Schmarx" Schneider – engineer, programming Justin Weaver – programming Hank Williams – mastering

Instruments

Mike Brignardello – bass guitar Matthew Bubel – drums Tom Bukovac – guitar Dave Cohen – keyboards Chris DeStefano – bass guitar, drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, piano, six-string banjo Lee Hendricks – bass guitar

Jeff Hyde – banjo Tim Lauer – keyboards Rob McNelley – electric guitar Scotty Sanders – lap steel guitar Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass guitar Ilya Toshinsky – acoustic guitar

Imagery

• Craig Allen – design
• Kristin Barlowe – photography
• Kip Moore – art direction

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for Wild Ones Chart (2015–17) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[41] 31 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[42] 5 US Billboard 200[37] 4 US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[43] 2

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for Wild Ones in 2015 Chart (2015) Position US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[44] 49

Release history

Release dates and formats for Wild Ones

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label	Ref.
United States	August 21, 2015	CD digital download	MCA Nashville	[45]

References

1. Reuter, Annie (May 29, 2015). "Kip Moore Announces Sophomore Album 'Wild Ones'". Radio.com. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
2. Vain, Madison (May 29, 2015). "Kip Moore previews new album, Wild Ones, chats life on the road and why he'll never make the same album twice". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
3. Thompson, Gayle (June 1, 2015). "Kip Moore Says 'Wild Ones' Will Be 'More Organic' Than Freshman Album". The Boot. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
4. Freeman, Jon (July 22, 2015). "Wild Ones by Kip Moore". Nash Country Weekly. Archived from the original on January 5, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
5. Frahm, Jonathan (August 20, 2015). "Kip Moore: Wild Ones". PopMatters. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
6. Vain, Madison (August 12, 2015). "Kip Moore shares 'Magic' off new album". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
7. Bjorke, Matt (May 29, 2015). "Kip Moore "Wild Ones" Tracklist & Cover Art". Roughstock. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
8. Whitaker, Sterling (May 29, 2015). "Kip Moore Reveals Details for Sophomore Album, 'Wild Ones'". Taste of Country. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
9. "Kip Moore, 'I'm to Blame' [Listen]". Taste of Country. January 13, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
10. Kip Moore (February 3, 2015). "Kip Moore - Story Behind "I'm To Blame"". YouTube. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
11. Carr, Courtney (October 15, 2015). "Kip Moore Selects 'Running for You' as Next Single [Listen]". The Boot. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
12. Dukes, Billy (February 22, 2016). "Lyrics Uncovered: Kip Moore, 'Running for You'". Taste of Country. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
13. Parton, Chris (February 3, 2015). "New Single: Kip Moore's "I'm to Blame"". Country Music Television. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
14. "Kip Moore – Chart History: Country Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
15. "Kip Moore – Chart History: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
16. Vinson, Christina (April 8, 2015). "Kip Moore Reveals New 'I'm to Blame' Music Video". The Boot. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
17. Carr, Courtney (October 15, 2015). "Kip Moore Selects 'Running for You' as Next Single [Listen]". The Boot. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
18. Leahey, Andrew (February 12, 2016). "Watch Kip Moore's Cinematic 'Running for You' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
19. Hostelley, Laura (August 5, 2015). "Kip Moore Hitting the Road on 'Wild' Tour". Taste of Country. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
20. Hudak, Joseph (September 17, 2015). "See Kip Moore's Breakout 'Come and Get It' Performance on 'Kimmel'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
21. Freeman, Jon (December 2, 2015). "Kip Moore Extends Wild Ones Tour into 2016". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
22. "Tune In: Kip Performs On "The Talk" On Monday - 2/22". kipmoore.net. February 19, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
23. Freeman, Jon (February 23, 2016). "See Kip Moore's Stripped-Down 'Running for You' on 'The Talk'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
24. Freeman, Jon (June 20, 2016). "Kip Moore Plans Me and My Kind Fall Tour". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
25. "Tune In: Kip Moore Performs On "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" Tomorrow". kipmoore.net. August 23, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
26. Parton, Chris (August 25, 2016). "See Kip Moore Sing Anthemic 'Wild Ones' on 'Colbert'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
27. "Critic Reviews for Wild Ones by Kip Moore". Metacritic. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
28. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Wild Ones - Kip Moore". AllMusic. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
29. Vain, Madison (August 13, 2015). "'Wild Ones' by Kip Moore". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
30. Remz, Jeffrey B. "Kip Moore - Wild Ones". Country Standard Time. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
31. Dauphin, Chuck (September 27, 2017). "Kip Moore's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
32. EW Staff (December 17, 2015). "The 10 Best Country Albums of 2015". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
33. Rolling Stone Staff (December 8, 2015). "40 Best Country Albums of 2015". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
34. Caulfield, Keith (August 30, 2015). "Disturbed Scores Fifth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard.
35. Bjorke, Matt (August 31, 2015). "Country Albums Chart Report for August 31, 2015". Roughstock. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
36. "Billboard 200: October 3, 2015". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
37. "Kip Moore Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
38. Bjorke, Matt (July 26, 2016). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: July 25, 2016". Roughstock. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
39. "Canadian Albums: September 12, 2015". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
40. Wild Ones (liner notes). Kip Moore. MCA Nashville. 2015. 0019941-02.CS1 maint: others (link)
41. "Australiancharts.com – Kip Moore – Wild Ones". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
42. "Kip Moore Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
43. "Kip Moore Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
44. "Top Country Albums: 2015 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
45. Scott, Jason (May 29, 2015). "Kip Moore's 'Wild Ones' LP set for August 21 release". AXS. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.