Earlier this year, Said the Whale released The Magician EP, a vinyl-only 7″ that featured the ebullient power pop single “Camilo (The Magician)” plus three unreleased tracks. Although it was essentially an outtakes collection, it showed that the band had made massive leaps in both songwriting and production. Each of the four songs sounded completely different, but each stylistic foray was equally gripping.
mp3: “Camilo (The Magician)”
Islands Disappear, the band’s second full-length, is similarly impressive, although on a much larger scale. No two tracks sound alike, but every one of the thirteen songs is a keeper, worthy of playlist inclusion. The title track is a creepy Tom Waits-style waltz, its junkyard arrangement laced with clattering percussion and chilling horns. “Gentleman” is bubblegum folk pop, shamelessly hokey but completely endearing (the second verse begins “I am an uncool Canadian kid / Awed and inspired by all the popular guys”). Most eclectic of all is “Goodnight Moon,” which begins as a ukulele/glockenspiel lullaby before exploding into a euphoric coda of “bap bap ba” vocals with a rhythm copped from “Lust for Life.”
Part of the reason for the album’s variety is that the band’s two singer-songwriters, Tyler Bancroft and Ben Worcester, have such distinct styles. Bancroft typically favours upbeat pop rock, while Worcester usually sticks to mellow, folksy material; unlike some bands with dual songwriters, with Said the Whale it’s always immediately obvious who wrote what. But despite this, the two singers are unified by their lyrics, which are abounding in geographical place names and detail-rich Canadiana. This includes tributes to the band’s hometown of Vancouver (”Black Day in December,” “False Creek Change”) as well as songs inspired by the band’s numerous cross-Canadian tours (”Emerald Lake, AB,” “Holly, Ontario”). Perhaps the greatest thematic statement of all is “Out on the Shield,” a description of the drudgery of life in a former gold rush town that could describe countless cities across the country.
While the sunny melodies and lush arrangements mean that Islands Disappear is an immediately enjoyable listen, it’s the lyrics that ensure its replay value. It’s easily one of the best albums of the year, and if there’s any justice in the music industry (which there isn’t, but here’s hoping), it will be the boost that Said the Whale needs to move from regional buzz band-status to the upper echelons of Canadian indie rock.
Islands Disappear is due out October 13 via Hidden Pony.
mp3: “Camilo (The Magician)”
Islands Disappear, the band’s second full-length, is similarly impressive, although on a much larger scale. No two tracks sound alike, but every one of the thirteen songs is a keeper, worthy of playlist inclusion. The title track is a creepy Tom Waits-style waltz, its junkyard arrangement laced with clattering percussion and chilling horns. “Gentleman” is bubblegum folk pop, shamelessly hokey but completely endearing (the second verse begins “I am an uncool Canadian kid / Awed and inspired by all the popular guys”). Most eclectic of all is “Goodnight Moon,” which begins as a ukulele/glockenspiel lullaby before exploding into a euphoric coda of “bap bap ba” vocals with a rhythm copped from “Lust for Life.”
Part of the reason for the album’s variety is that the band’s two singer-songwriters, Tyler Bancroft and Ben Worcester, have such distinct styles. Bancroft typically favours upbeat pop rock, while Worcester usually sticks to mellow, folksy material; unlike some bands with dual songwriters, with Said the Whale it’s always immediately obvious who wrote what. But despite this, the two singers are unified by their lyrics, which are abounding in geographical place names and detail-rich Canadiana. This includes tributes to the band’s hometown of Vancouver (”Black Day in December,” “False Creek Change”) as well as songs inspired by the band’s numerous cross-Canadian tours (”Emerald Lake, AB,” “Holly, Ontario”). Perhaps the greatest thematic statement of all is “Out on the Shield,” a description of the drudgery of life in a former gold rush town that could describe countless cities across the country.
While the sunny melodies and lush arrangements mean that Islands Disappear is an immediately enjoyable listen, it’s the lyrics that ensure its replay value. It’s easily one of the best albums of the year, and if there’s any justice in the music industry (which there isn’t, but here’s hoping), it will be the boost that Said the Whale needs to move from regional buzz band-status to the upper echelons of Canadian indie rock.
Islands Disappear is due out October 13 via Hidden Pony.
4 Trackbacks
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by smartgurlca. smartgurlca said: Said the Whale out Oct 13 RT: First review of our new album at chippedhip.com! http://bit.ly/fLzTo (via @saidthewhale) [...]
[...] all of last week in the top 10 on iTunes. This success is well deserved, since the album is one of best of the year so far, local or otherwise. Barely a week after the release of the album, another new Said the Whale [...]
[...] Last Wednesday, Said the Whale held a hometown release party for their outstanding new album, Islands Disappear. I’ve already covered two of the group’s concerts this year (here and here), so I [...]
[...] Veruca” exhibits more of the stylistic breadth that the band showed off on this year’s Islands Disappear, making a foray into dramatic emo pop. A thundering, distorted waltz, it sounds nothing like the [...]