Word: songfulness
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...Baby Birch,” the sixth track, also demonstrates Newsom’s ability to successfully adapt and transform previously-unexplored styles. Newsom’s voice takes on only the slightest, airy twang so that the song recalls the style of Neko Case. But the track, which approaches ten minutes in length, goes beyond a mere regurgitation of alternative country. Haphazard slips of electric guitar and banjo accent a languid harp—which, in typical Newsom style, she fits perfectly into this country song—and as the song proceeds, dramatic harp and guitar...
...that Lifehouse’s sound or their songs are mediocre. Most of them are actually catchy and easy to listen to. However, “Smoke & Mirrors” lacks the boldness and initiative to be a truly impressive album, failing to incorporate new tonal or vocal elements from one song to the next. This musical complacency reveals itself as the album’s primary shortcoming. Rather than deviate from a formula which has provided some success in the past, the band instead choose to produce songs based primarily off of the same tried-and-true formula. There...
Indeed, much as each song seems to rotate on the axis of a strong chorus, the album as a whole hinges upon the success and appeal of one or two singles. “Falling In” and “Halfway Gone” establish themselves on first listen as the album’s peaks, and much of the rest of the album’s sound and subject matter mirror the highlights of these two songs...
...whole rather than just the chorus. The refrain very simply states, “And I’m always swinging on this wrecking ball / While you’re building up and breaking down my wall.” Although this is repeated three times throughout the song, the chorus is sung through soft background vocals, allowing the verses between each iteration to steal some of the spotlight. Indeed, those lyrics prove to be some of the most interesting on the album, as Wade sings, “I’m a fool, a mechanical tool...
...From a sparse acoustic guitar opening, frontman Zach Rogue quietly asks a simple romantic question, “Will I follow you down the line?” As soon as he asks, the acoustic guitar picks up and the listener is drawn into a hook-laden, delightfully melodic song. The most pleasing aspect is the limited studio production, which leaves mostly unadorned the song’s mix of acoustic and electric guitar, drums backed up with handclaps, and bass...