Albums by this artist

Shadows Of The Waxwings (2002)

The Waxwings

Shadows Of The Waxwings

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» JOHN EVERHART | CONTRIBUTOR

The Waxwings Shadows Of The Waxwings Bobsled, 2002 RiYL: The Posies, Cheap Trick, The Lilys

"Detroit Rock City" read a recent Village Voice headline covering a New York show featuring several Detroit-based garage bands, hailing the return of rock eminence to the Motor City. While there's been a deluge of media attention lavished upon the likes of the White Stripes, Dirtbombs and Von Bondies, there's been an overlooked corner of Detroit's musical landscape. Bands including Outrageous Cherry, His Name Is Alive and Slumber Party favor experimental, subdued pop to the noisy, abrasive inclinations of the aforementioned. While existing in the periphery of the mainstream, they've managed to carve out their own niche, comfortably removed from the spotlight.

Where do Detroit's Waxwings fit into this equation? They're pitched somewhere in the middle. Acolytes of the Kinks, Big Star and the Byrds, they're a power-pop band, comfortable with their limitations and strengths. They'll never be as big as the White Stripes, but they certainly have the capacity to attain a fan base commensurate with a like-minded indie band such as the Apples In Stereo. The Waxwings' debut, Low To The Ground, was one of the more critically well-received debuts of 2000, and while Shadows Of The Waxwings is less immediate than its predecessor, it augments the band's traditional pop sound with string arrangements and baroque instrumentation, to varying degrees of success.

Lead track "Wired That Way" channels A Catholic Education-era Teenage Fanclub, with its lazy harmonies and laconic vocal delivery. The track never really blossoms into something worthy of the Fannies, sorely lacking the propulsiveness so prevalent on Low To The Ground. But the band awakens on the jittery "Clouded Over," careening recklessly through the song's ebullient power pop hooks. "Rifle Through" rocks as well, with a vibrant melodicism reminiscent of The Jam.

Things really pick up when guitarist Dominic Romano takes over lead vocal duties. He plays Chris Bell to Fertitia's Alex Chilton, waxing somber and meditative. The reflective "Almost All Day," has a grand, orchestral feel, with Romano shining in his delivery, blithely intoning the plaintive refrain of, "And it's gone, how long, how long" over delicate acoustic guitar and somber strings. The pensive "Brilliant Grey" is another standout, shimmering with an understated VU vibe. A gentle, "Femme Fatale"-esque melody precariously holds the song together, as Romano's frayed vocal of "I swore the words would fade / and sparkle brilliant grey" sounds likely to crumble at any moment.

"Fractured," another Fertitia-sung number, is all '80s jangle pop, with a catchy refrain of "there's nothing you can say that can faze me anymore" gliding over slick harmonizing. The band switches gears stylistically on closing track "What's Needed Now," marrying pop instincts and shoegazing with a drone-rock assault worthy of Ride. It's a welcome respite from the power-pop formula, but seems a bit restrained, hindered by a muddied sound mix.

A fine album, Shadows glistens despite somewhat murky production. Though it lacks a bit of the exuberance and consistency of their debut, the band remains intriguing, primarily due to their innate pop instincts. There's an intangible quality they possess, one that separates them from being mere imitators of their obvious influences. With a keen sense of melody and poignant lyricism, Shadows Of The Waxwings ultimately charms.

JOHN EVERHART |