by Lauren Rosier
Everyone has his or her favorite albums of all time and one of mine is by the 90’s alternative rock band, Dishwalla, and their third release, Opaline. Now I’m sure you’ve heard the band’s hit single, “Counting Blue Cars”, but they are much more than just a one-hit wonder. They had all the makings of a successful music career: a lead singer with a beautiful voice, great songwriting, catchy hooks, and great lyrics, but like many bands in the 90s, the relevance of Dishwalla was short lasting.
Although we are approaching the 20th anniversary of Dishwalla’s debut album, Pet Your Friends, Opaline is the record that you ought to take a listen to. On Opaline, the band takes on a softer, more melodic sound than previous releases and the result is beautiful.
The album begins with the title track which clearly has some eastern influences, apropos as the band’s name derives from Hindi. The guitar intro is absolutely beautiful and former lead vocalist JR Richards’ voice melds perfectly with the melody of the song.
One of my favorite tracks on the record is the second song called “Angels Or Devils”. Richards sings about the struggles that we all battle with in life between good and bad influences.
This is the last time
That I’m ever gonna come here tonight
This is the last time I will fall
Into a place that fails us all inside
I can see the pain in you
I can see the love in you
But fighting all the demons will take time
It will take time
The record never garnered much attention in the mainstream, besides the single “Somewhere In The Middle” receiving some radio airplay. However, from first listen it’s been one of my favorite albums of all time. For me it’s one of those records you can listen to from start to finish without skipping a song. And it definitely helps that former lead vocalist, JR Richards, has a very soothing, beautiful voice that speaks emotionally to the listener.
“Somewhere In The Middle” paints a picture of a couple struggling with each other and features such a delicate framework in the skeleton of the song.
I was out the other day
And I saw you in your big black car
And I was waving as you were passing
Cause I know who you are
You had this look that of an angel
It was such a bad disguise
Did you think for a second I would not realize
The song charted for the band at No. 25 on the Adult Top 40 charts in 2002; though, “Counting Blue Cars” was the band’s biggest and most popular hit.
Another one of my favorites on the album is “Home”. The song speaks upon life’s journey, putting forth hard work, and still somehow coming up short. The entire album has such a strong emotional identity and I find it be so easily relatable.
I’m so sick and tired
Of all these things
That drag me down
I’ve got nowhere to go
They say that life
Is in these hands
You give everything
You give yourself away you give
And still you choke
And find yourself running for the door
Opaline is such a solid record with a very mellow mood and that perhaps could be the reason it never really resonated with mainstream radio too much. With that said, this record is still one worth taking a listen to, and going on a journey with JR Richards and company.
