New Wax
Ornithology in the house. Shearwater's Jonathan Meiburg has an obvious enthusiasm for birds, and his band's new album Rooks with its title and Hitchcockian album cover extends this predilection. Formed by former Okkervil River bandmates Meiburg and Will Sheff and named after the long-winged seabird, Shearwater now serves primarily as Meiburg's songwriting vehicle, and the band creates music that's a good bit more delicate than Okkervil River's. Rather than Will Sheff's manic vocals, you'll hear Meiburg's gorgeous croon, which covers the gamut in range and can build into an epic falsetto at the drop of a dime. Meiburg has officially left Okkervil River in order to focus on Shearwater, and considering the critical acclaim of 2007's Palo Santo, the amicable split doesn't come as much of a surprise. While it's an album that demands repeated listens and a more thorough examination, let me assure you that Shearwater's newest album Rook does not disappoint and will undoubtedly find its way onto some critics' "best of" lists. Meiburg's voice is breathtaking as usual, but the instrumentation on Rook is equally noteworthy with its flawless implementation of strings and piano. Rook will be released June 3rd on Matador Records but an advance copy is available in digital format over at eMusic. -- Capt. Obvious
Listen:
MP3: Shearwater - Rooks
MP3: Shearwater - Century Eyes
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