Male Models Vinyl

Ask singer-songwriter Gabriel Birnbaum what inspired Male Models - the diverse new album from New York band Wilder Maker - and he'll mention everything from American novelist James Salter and the NBA playoffs to Thin Lizzy, and the delicate tightrope of positive masculinity.

These reference points might sound arbitrary to the uninitiated listener, but together they provide some insight into the creation of an album that somehow succeeds at being both an apocalyptic novel of ideas, and the most cohesive party playlist that you've ever heard. Male Models was recorded live over several days with Birnbaum and longtime collaborators Nick Jost and Sean Mullins.

Despite his status as the frontman and principal songwriter of Wilder Maker, Birnbaum's voice can only be heard singing lead on five of the twelve songs. The remaining tracks have guest vocalists taking the mic, unveiling an impressive lineup that includes Adam Duritz of Counting Crows, Felicia Douglass of Dirty Projectors, Katie Von Schleicher, and Jordan Lee (aka Mutual Benefit).

Like guests at a strange afterparty, when you hear these accomplished vocalists recount Birnbaum's tales of unrequited love, drunkenness, and desperation, it feels almost voyeuristic, as if you were sitting in a crowded cocktail bar, sneaking glances at nearby tables.

"We all listen to playlists a lot, even us album diehards" Birnbaum admits, "I've been keeping an ever-expanding playlist of songs that I never want to skip, with all of these different voices back to back. I wanted to make a record that sounded like a playlist in this way; it became a kind of songwriting challenge for me." Male Models succeeds in capturing the energy of a crowded party and it's accompanying playlist without losing the philosophical underpinnings of it's concept.

Musically, it also changes shape constantly. Across the 12 songs of the album, listeners will hear electrified soul, heartfelt folk songs, indie rock, and searing barn burners, all of which are expertly tethered by Birnbaum's sardonic and doom-laden storytelling. Perhaps destined to be the most talked-about track on the album, 'O Anna' features Counting Crows' Adam Duritz on the mic. Duritz instantly makes the song feel nostalgic and warm, while Birnbaum's lyrics explore male isolation and social constructs through the metaphor of Michael Jordan's athleticism.