ARTIST: Freelance Whales
TITLE: Diluvia
LABEL: Frenchkiss Records
GENRE: Indie
BITRATE: 253kbps avg
PLAYTIME: 0h 52m total
RELEASE DATE: 2012-10-09
RIP DATE: 2012-10-19
Track List
----------
1. Aeolus 3:37
2. Land Features 3:57
3. Follow Through 5:11
4. Spitting Image 4:01
5. Locked Out 5:21
6. Dig Into Waves 3:49
7. Red Star 5:02
8. Winter Seeds 5:08
9. The Nothing 4:36
10. DNA Bank 7:43
11. Emergence Exit 4:23
Release Notes:
http://www.freelancewhales.com/
http://www.myspace.com/freelancewhales
Albums referred to as ôgrowersöùthose that take a while to win over
listenersùtoo often end up being mediocre releases by bands that the recommender
loves so much that he or she is willing to put the time, effort, and delusion
into discovering a few agreeable morsels. But in the case of Diluvia, the second
album from New York indie-rock outfit Freelance Whales, a few extra spins open
up a truly grand adventure that a cursory glance simply canÆt uncover.
Diluvia is built differently than its predecessor, Weathervanes, in that the
band has placed a greater emphasis on developing atmosphere than unleashing
immediate hooks. In turn, Judah Dadone and company have toned down the
quirkiness in favor of richly textured creations that take longer to unfold
(Weathervanes had only one song that passed the five-minute mark; Diluvia has
five) and, inevitably, take a little while longer to reveal their inner beauty.
(Is it a coincidence that diluvia is defined as ôrock material deposited by
glaciersö?) Not that Freelance WhalesÆ music has changed all that drastically:
ThereÆs still a healthy helping of banjo, and things like the piano at the
beginning of ôFollow Throughö and the guitar that shows up halfway through ôThe
Nothingö demand yet more Ben Gibbard-related comparisons. (Though DadoneÆs
vocals no longer bring to mind the Death Cab/Postal Service frontman the way
they did on Freelance WhalesÆ debut.)
But this time around, the synths steer nearly everything in a dreamy direction,
and enough canÆt be said of Doris CellarÆs increased presence on the microphone.
Her voice hits its peak during ôWinter Seeds,ö a slow-moving, airy piece of
accessible yet smart pop that finds Cellar getting her Elizabeth Fraser on. It
might not be as traditionally catchy as, say, WeathervanesÆ ôStarring,ö but it
just might be the bandÆs finest moment.
The lyrics on Diluvia play well with the musical proceedings, offering more
mystery than clear-cut storylines as it talks of pterodactyl bones, DNA on a
boat in the Euphrates, and having ôthe rations to go anywhere.ö The overall
effect is something Freelance Whales can call their ownùbecause for all of the
comparisons one can find here (in addition to the above, traces of The Killers
can be heard in ôLocked Out,ö and the album closes on a Mew-like high note with
ôEmergence Exitö), by album two theyÆve developed a distinctive sound from their
corner of the synth-folk universe, and theyÆve done it while expanding their
palette. With this grower, Freelance Whales have avoided the sophomore slump and
grown into one of indie rockÆs most intriguing new acts.