Full Review: Seabird – Rocks Into Rivers
Everyone knows a band’s sophomore album is their most telling, and so for that reason, ‘Rocks Into Rivers’ is a little bit disappointing. Continually throughout this album it feels as if the thought of mainstream success is what is dictating the choices, rather than the drive described on “Let Me Go On” from ”Til We See The Shore’.
You’re usually hardest on the ones you love and after a magnificent debut album, Seabird definitely had my attention. ‘Rocks Into Rivers’ is not a failure, nor is it anything less than a good time, the thing it doesn’t do though is provide a multitude of standout tracks, but rather ones that blend into each other. “Believe Me” and “Sing To Save My Life” are good examples of decent songs which could have been one long one with some minor tweaks. Not until the the last 30 seconds of “Sing to Save My Life” does the song come alive with an energy and spark I would have loved to see more of.
Without getting hung up on comparing one record too much with another one, the biggest difference between the previous album, ”Til We See The Shore’, and the new one is the band’s lyrical content. The debut album was actually quite dark with a majority of the songs describing the process of just hanging on despite hard circumstances. While I wouldn’t describe ‘Rocks Into Rivers’ as “all smiles”, I would say that it comes across much more optimistic during the trying times.
Hands down the most interesting songs are “This Ain’t Home” which builds up and then switches things up musically at the tail end, in addition to adding layered vocals around the halfway mark and are incredibly addicting. Although a completely separate track “The Sound Of You And I” almost acts as a reprise for “This Ain’t Home” drawing you you in instantly with a thick melody and simplistic style, not over thinking itself. Also among the most interesting is “This Road” which has a feel like it could have come off the previous album, suggesting that the less overtly ‘made for radio’ tracks are what this band excels at because of the authenticity that shines through. That’s not a dig at the lead single “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” which uses claps and an upbeat rhythm to describe a sad situation, but emphasizing that Seabird’s strengths are more in tracks like “Rocks Into Rivers”.
This is solid album which new fans will be extremely happy with, despite possibly giving older fans some hesitations. Though it may not have filled the big expectations I had for it, ‘Rocks Into Rivers’ is an album easy to enjoy.
Tags: rocks into rivers, seabird
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:26 am
I’m sorry that it wasn’t quite as good as you’d hoped. I’m hoping to still like it.
December 15th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Now I’ve listened to this a number of times, I come tome to a similar conclusion. It’s a good album, but it fails to live up to my expecations and it somewhat blends together. it does, however, leave for the possibility of even better work in the future.