The Wilder Society

Wanderers, transplants, and vagabonds–the four members of Los Angeles based folk rock band, The Wilder Society, all know what it means to withdraw from the safety of the familiar to embrace the unknown. On the stage and in the studio, this emerging band excels at crafting melodic folk rock that evokes the adventurous spirit of the open road. 2016 has already proven to be a year of momentum, and they aren’t slowing down anytime soon. While charming sizable home crowds at notable LA venues (Hotel Café, Troubadour, House of Blues) and opening for folk trio Joseph (ATO Records) at The Lyric Theatre, The Wilder Society has organically cultivated a growing social media following, now reaching 5600+ followers with each Instagram post.

At first glance, this band may seem like an improbable patchwork quilt of a union. With backgrounds ranging from graphic design, theater, collegiate sports, film production, and IT work, the guys from The Wilder Society definitely bring something unique to the table, and this doesn’t even cover their past musical endeavors. Each of the four has pursued music over years encompassing a veritable array of genres: electronic rock, jazz, surfer punk, and rockabilly, just to name a few – but the paths previously taken perfectly led them to this point. By combining their mutual love for folk music with their differing pasts, they have discovered a sound truly unique to them. “It feels like one of those ‘right place, right time’ stories,” says lead singer, Chris Molitor. “We all pursued different projects that fell short for one reason or another, and somehow, coming from different places, we found each other and it just clicked.”

Released on July 29, 2016, Lion’s Den is The Wilder Society’s debut EP. At the helm of the project was dynamic producer, Bill Lefler (Ingrid Michaelson, Joshua Radin). Mixing was tackled by Ryan Lipman, and mastering by Evren Goknar (Capitol Records). A seamless blend of soaring folk anthems, heartfelt ballads and lush musical arrangements, this five song project introduces the listener to The Wilder Society’s tasteful synthesis of powerful vocals, traditional folk instrumentation, and modern electronic timbres. “A beautiful piece of art, the album trances you into a whole different world, a place where you have never been,” wrote Emilee Gorshe of Elmore Magazine. “I couldn’t help replaying the CD over and over again.”