On Still Coming Down, the sixth album from John Ross’ heartland indie project Wild Pink, the songwriter continues to refine his unique approach to American storytelling. Ross has a knack for embedding his tracks with the crushed detritus of American culture, balancing wit and a disarming guilelessness that places him in a lineage of observers ranging from Dan Bejar to Lana Del Rey.
A Study in Unshowy Observation
Everything about the music on Still Coming Down is intentionally unshowy. Ross’ vocals remain low in the mix, and even the guitar solos—such as the one featured on “Round of Applause at the End of the World”—are brief and understated. This lack of artifice feels like a deliberate choice. It is difficult to be a true observer when you are busy making a scene, and Ross seems to understand that his strength lies in working from the margins.
Recorded at Drop of Sun in Asheville, North Carolina, with producer Alex Farrar, the album features a broader sonic palette than its predecessor, Dulling the Horns. The record benefits from guest contributions by MJ Lenderman, Xandy Chelmis, Landon George, Meg Duffy, and longtime collaborator Dan Keegan. These additions bring distinct textures to the songs, from the melancholy pedal steel and Vampire Weekend-esque interludes on “Like Water” to the wailing fiddle of the title track.
The Pragmatism of the Mundane
Ross’ songwriting eschews the typical cathartic climaxes of classic heartland rock in favor of something more literary and terse. He finds profound meaning in the mundane, whether he is singing about the frustrations of traffic or the quiet desperation of a man betting on his phone in a bar. While some of his lyrics flirt with fatalism, the album as a whole feels deeply pragmatic.
On “Like Water,” Ross recounts the story of a family fleeing Romania after the fall of the Ceaușescu regime. He uses the image of water flowing from a rusted pipe to summarize his worldview: the world may be mucky and grimy, but there is still something clean and worthwhile to be found within it. Still Coming Down is a testament to that belief—a collection of songs that find beauty in the grit of everyday life.