'Wildflower': The National Parks share uplifting messages of hope and strength in quartet's latest offering
The National Parks are set to release their fourth full-length album 'Wildflower' on June 19. The 15-song release is an uplifting collection of folk-influenced indie-pop tunes built around themes of struggle and growth.
Since emerging in 2013, The National Parks have quietly grown into an independent phenomenon with roots embedded in blissful pop, cinematic electronics, organic orchestration, and rock energy. The male/female quartet features frontman and band founder Brady Parks on guitar and lead vocals, Sydney Macfarlane on keyboards and vocals, Cam Brannelly on drums and Megan Parks on fiddle and vocals.
They made their debut with the album 'Young', which climbed to number 13 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart upon its release, quickly earning the band a devoted following. Since then, The National Parks have released two additional studio albums and played to sold-out shows in major American cities.
And they now make their return with 'Wildflower', the highly-anticipated follow-up to 2017's 'Places'. The release sees the band bloom like never before. Produced and mixed by longtime collaborator Scott Wiley, 'Wildflower' features some of The National Parks' best songwriting to date spread out over a variety of sounds and styles and propelled by a whole lot of heart, as evidenced by the title track. And while 'Wildflower' includes beautifully written tracks from start to finish, it's songs like 'Time' and the band's latest offering 'Waiting For Lightning', which urge for patience and perseverance through struggle, that really showcase how gifted the band is at writing music that cuts through the daily hustle and bustle to really hit you deep in your soul.
Speaking about 'Waiting For Lighting' in an interview with Atwood Magazine, Brady stated, "'Waiting For Lightning' was a song that started pouring out of me late one night. I remember sitting in my room with my guitar and this visual of lightning kept coming to my mind. At its core, this song is about feeling like you are waiting for something so rare and spectacular. It’s about setting the fear of the unknown aside and stepping out into the storm. It's about holding on despite challenges that arise. We hope this song can be a reminder to hold on to hope and to not let go of the things that matter most to you." The song, without question, is one of the standouts on the album.
In addition, the album also features some more upbeat pop-infused tunes such as the band’s 2019 single 'I Can Feel It', which is currently featured in Netflix's new movie 'The Wrong Missy' and has landed The National Parks at number six on Shazam’s top discovered list in the U.S.
The thematic elements of this album are made even more emotional by The National Parks' ability to create atmospheric indie-folk music that blends vocal harmonies with catchy melodies that are backdropped by some stunning guitar/piano/violin instrumentation. When all these elements combine, what you get is 'Wildflower', an album about hard times and faith, overcoming obstacles and moving forward, and knowing that through trials and tribulations the best is yet to come. These are songs perfectly crafted to inspire and uplift listeners and remind everyone to be authentically themselves and feel encouraged that no matter what life throws at you, you have the strength to get through it all.
Pre-order 'Wildflower' HERE. Follow The National Parks on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, SoundCloud, or via TheNationalParksBand.com for more.