Bird Eyes
Wind Up Radio
Sessions
Independent/Bandcamp.
SCQ Rating: 76%
The sophomore
release by Montreal-based folksters Wind Up Radio Sessions displays an earnest
songwriting unit thriving off their own disciplines. Without once forsaking
their approach for anything resembling a radio bid, Bird Eyes makes an
intricate yarn of lilting melodies and warm undertones. It’s a compact approach
that deserves humble praise, for these are songs that take the edge off of
tough days – like lullabies for twenty-somethings.
Mid-tempo jams like
“Chesterfields” and the vaguely psychedelic “Legally Dead” air welcome bits of
distortion into an otherwise acoustic set, while “Backporch” defies expectations
with a lived-in synth cresting its chorus. These pockets of relaxed rock gel
well with quiet ruminations that carry just as much bite. A wire-tough guitar
line gives the reflective “Our Ways” some latent bluster whereas “Blades Of
Grass” relies on powerful lyrics and sparse acoustics to transcend. With no
less than three singers in rotation and enough smart studio nuances to flesh
out their quiet ideas, Wind Up Radio Sessions have a cultish likeability not
unlike The Shins; instead of forging new territory or making statements, they
remind us what’s delicate and powerful in the comforts of the traditional. An
understated but memorable folk-rock gem.
No comments:
Post a Comment