Said the Whale
As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide
Reviewed by: Ziggy Merritt
Dramatic changes often act as a catalyst for interesting results. Interesting does not always mean good of course. Sometimes, “interesting” can be laughably bad, or it can help define something singularly remarkable. The Vancouver-based rock outfit Said the Whale are the subjects of such a change having whittled down their membership from 5 to 3 before the release of their follow-up to 2013’s summer-ready hawaii. The album in question, As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide, is, for good reason, perhaps their most introspective since their debut a clean decade ago in 2007.
Here introspection does them well. Some of Said the Whale’s previous releases could easily though not unfavorably be compared to a Fleet Foxes b-side. With their latest, the electronic textures and full-bodied rock come together in a sound they can justifiably claim as their own. It’s a record that more fully adopts a hook-laden pop that swims as much in melancholia as it does in sunshine.
Some of the drag comes in getting to that sweet spot in the album most of which is carved out in the middle with few outliers. Thankfully getting there doesn’t prove to be arduous as the tempo and pacing of the tracks rarely overstay their welcome. The best of the best comes in the dance-ready hooks of “Confidence.” Written in such a way that it makes it difficult to write a proper review without feeling the compulsion to head-bop, “Confidence” is an aptly named comeback track that works in punchy synths and unburdensome repetition. It’s a golden ratio of melodic, adrenalized pop.
The maudlin maximalism of “Miscarriage” propels things further along, never allowing the album to fall into a dull moment. “Realize Real Eyes” also keeps things on the good side of interesting with the sentimental vocals of Ben Worcester and Tyler Bancroft wisely not crossing over into anything sickly saccharine within the song’s downtempo structure. As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide has its faults in getting started and finishing things up but there’s still fewer moments where the journey to that finish doesn’t feel like it’s worth the effort.
Rating: Listenable
