Coming in at number nine is an excellent album from some local talent from Kaysville, UT. I might have a bias regarding this band since I know all the members personally, but I believe they have a some awesome music. I'm also certain that 90% of the readers of this blog (if any exist out there) will not have heard of The Narwhal Crisis. Unfortunately, the band has broken up. However, it has been for a good cause. Three out of the four band members have left recently to go fulfill their 2-year LDS missions (and I'm sure the 4th will leave sometime soon). I know the band because they are some of my younger brother's best friends.
The reason I like this indie-rock band and album so much is for its unique sound. The band consists of your regular lead guitarist, keyboardist, and drummer, but they also have a cellist. That definitely brings some flavor into a rock band. Now, it took me a little while to actual get hooked on this album. I listened to it once and liked really only two tracks. Then after sticking with it and listening to it repeatedly, it has become one of my favorites. These kids seriously have some great talent. It's too bad that they'll probably never make any more music together as a band.
Some things I really enjoy about this album is the sound (like I mentioned before), the rhythm, the variety of songs, and the lyrics aren't too shabby as well. Since it’s a pretty short album I feel like I can talk about each of the tracks individually.
1. Recapitulation: This is a great opener. It gets the blood pumping. From what I gather it’s just a great song about an individual that realizes his life is turning into something undesirable as he has made some poor decisions in his life. He then decides to make a course correction and to live to his full potential. A great message and a great song.
2. Diaphorous Interior Mystery - This is a weird title that I don’t understand, but it has to be my favorite song on the album. It’s a sweet song about sleeping and dreaming – put into poetic verse. It has some rocking guitar as well with some beautiful cello work. My favorite lines: “Always hoping that I’ll go to places I wouldn’t dream of going if I were not asleep…but luckily, I’m asleep”
3. Channel Four - I believe this is the first song the NC wrote…at least it was the first song I heard from them. What album wouldn’t be complete without a love song? Well this is the Narhwal’s. It’s a sweet song about how that certain someone always makes it seem that the weather is beautiful – even if it’s raining, freezing cold, or just plain miserable.
4. Je M'ai Abimé – Then after the love song comes a bitter break-up song. Ha ha. This title is in French and means something along the lines of “I hurt myself”. This was written by one of the band members reflecting some of his feelings while breaking up with a certain young woman. My favorite line: “Your rejection infects me like a pestilence”. I especially like the funky interlude with the guitar, drums, and keyboard.
5. Opaque Alumni - This song is just awesome. The guitar and cello melodies are sweet and it just makes me want to rock out. The message, though, is a dark one. It’s a story (hopefully, not a true one) about a boy who is often abused by his father. One day he runs away into the woods and falls down into a well. In this well is a demon that basically takes the boy’s soul. Not very happy, huh? I’ll have to hand it to them – it is very original.
6. Red Turkish Rug: I think this song has some of my favorite music off the album. The instrumentation is pretty sweet. As for the meaning I’m not exactly sure. Part of it makes me think it’s about how sometimes thinking of all the “giants” (great leaders, inventors, etc.) that have gone before us and how it makes us depressed to think that we might not ever match what they have done.
7. Pulp – this is an awesome finale. There is some amazing guitar and cello solos in this track. It reminds of some Lynrd Skynyrd solos. The lyrics and message are amazing to boot as well. This song is about how we should avoid materialism/worldly things and how we need to focus on what is most important in life before we’ve wasted our life away. And that most important thing is family.
Well, there’s my two cents for another great album. Let me know if you want access to this album and I can probably hook you up.
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