Friendship - Caveman Wakes Up

An indie-country dreamscape with teeth and tenderness, “Caveman Wakes Up” is both haunted and oddly comforting.

On their second album for Merge Records, Friendship expand their signature scruffy Americana sound into mesmerizing new territory. Caveman Wakes Up moves from lo-fi country to ambient folk-rock, layering flute pads, Mellotron flourishes, and sentimental string arrangements over groove-driven, soul-tinged foundations. Tracks like “Love Vape,” “Resident Evil,” and “All Over the World” blend poetic storytelling with raw vulnerability, tied together by Dan Wriggins’ weary, unforgettable baritone.

This record is deeply textured, emotionally vivid, and full of surprises. “Free Association” and “Wildwood in January” shuffle and shimmer with rhythm-section tightness and melodic intuition, while “Artex” offers an almost spiritual groove. There are hints of Motown, Talk Talk, and even early 2000s indie, but make no mistake—this is pure Friendship, genre-defiant and soul-first.

Written during a personal and artistic crossroads, and tracked in just five days, the album pulses with the urgency of lived experience. From late-night piano demos to lush church-recorded overdubs, every detail is intentional, yet relaxed—like country music if it grew up in a Philadelphia basement and went to poetry school.

Caveman Wakes Up is a bleary-eyed, warm-hearted triumph—a record for wandering souls and deep feelers, whether waking, dreaming, or somewhere in between.