Nowadays it’s hard to define particular
boundaries when it comes to making music, but there are a few that remain
unspoken (and unbroken), until someone comes along and crosses them.

Some people would say a band that was
originally formed from a Craig’s List ad, wouldn’t be able to create a
successful, and creative album. They might also say that a watering can can’t
be used as an instrument, and that you shouldn’t play in haunted venues.

Well, Freelan

ce
Whales, have proved the naysayers wrong, and are here to
do so again with their debut album Weathervanes.

Weathervanes

is full of nostalgia for things that are lost (and that we
sometimes hope to find again) - childhood, summer, magic, and the ghosts that
haunt us from the past. With folk sounds that may remind some of Simon and
Garfunkel, mixed with a more modern sound- this album could be considered a
nice mix of ambient, electric, folk.

The album kicks off with "

Generator ^ First Floor", which is a
perfect preview to the sounds listeners can expect from the rest of the album.  Popular instruments include the banjo,
mandolin, and the glockenspiel, and they are used in a creative, and energetic
way to create a sound that could only be described as unique (a good special,
not “stop eating the toothpaste” special).  "Hannah" is cheeky and features
a notable mix of percussion and synth effects, teamed with a great melody, and leg-tapping
rhythm.

If you’ve never heard an oboe being played
with a glockenspiel and the drums at the same time, "Location" blends the instruments together rather well. The song also
features a notable melody- one of those ones that threatens to stay in your
head all day, and makes you want to sing in the car with the windows down (to
the detriment of the other traffic and their safety). You have been warned.

"Channels"

is short and sweet. The glockenspiel melody is reminiscent
of old windup jewellery boxes, and is haunting against the minor toned synths
that cycle through the song. It seems a little like childhood revisited- we are
unable to simply enjoy the innocence and childlike simplicity, now that we have
grown up. But there is still something to be appreciated there.

The lyrics and melody in "Starring" carry on the theme of dreaming
which permeates the entire album. While mostly electronic it features some good
folk moments too. "Kilojoules" is even
more electric, and remains exclusively so, making good use of the alternative
percussion and instruments the band claim to so love.

The soothing vocals in "Broken Horse" provides a quiet break from the many upbeat songs on
the album, while "Danse Flat" adds
another jewellery box melodic interlude (to reminisce about childhood perhaps,
and the awesomeness of the songs heard so far on the album).

"Ghosting"




is one of my favourites on this album. The highlight of the song
would be the effect of the glockenspiel with the dreamy vocals.  The lyrics capture the true nature of childhood,
and all its adventures and mistakes very well (which is in a way that is both
enchanting, and catchy). Definitely a song to put on repeat in more reflective
moments.

"We
Could Be Friends"




matches the synth of the keyboard
perfectly with the vocals, creating a memorable combination that could only be
described as a good song. The rhythm of
the song improves towards the end of the song too.

At the very first listening, I feared I
would not like "Vessels", which seemed
to be trying too hard to mix folk and electronic, with the combination of a
plucking banjo, synth, and the quiet hint of vocals, to create a song rather
different from the rest of the album. This was a song which improved upon
listening though- and I can appreciate what the band was trying to achieve here.

"Generator ^ Second Floor" is a great near ending
to the album. The mandolin and banjo, combined with a good rhythm create a song
which is uplifting, and dance worthy. While "The
Great Estates" combines Coldplay-esque keyboard progressions, with
distinctive banjo melodies. The vocals are memorable, being both melodic, and catchy
(Friday night sing-star worthy), and seem to borrow from old country western
influences.

Weathervanes

overall is an album worth listening to. Over and over and over...

 

8/10