Deas Vail - Birds & Cages
Rating
RIYL
Death Cab for CutieRelient K
Daphne Loves Derby
Release Date
10/23/2009
Label
Mono Vs StereoTracklist
The Things You WereGrowing Pains
Excuses
Cages
Birds
Tell Me
Dance in Perfect Time
Sunlight
Puzzles and Pieces
The Great Physician
The Leaper
Atlantis
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It’s been a tough year in America. We have massive national debt, two wars, failing industries, abysmal unemployment rates, and a wounded economy. It’s scary out there, and nobody really wants to face the uncertainty of a nation in disarray 24/7. This where bands like Deas Vail come in handy. It’s music for those of us that don’t really want to leave our comfort zone. Sure it’s a little one-dimensional, but it’s familiar and consistent and it doesn’t challenge us, which isn’t always a bad thing.
The best way to describe Deas Vail is “pleasant.” The band creates safe, simple melodies over delay-soaked guitars, fluttering keyboards, and a perfectly solid rhythm section. Ambiguous religious references pepper the lyrics, along with other non-polarizing references to life, love, and positivism. Singer Wes Blaylock, moves in and out of a crystal clear falsetto with relative ease, and the whole show is supported by a bevy of string accompaniment.
The strings and vocals are responsible for the album’s best moments. Blaylock’s melodies shine over the band’s sparse arrangements on “The Things You Were,” “Tell Me,” and “Puzzles and Pieces.” In an example well executed orchestral rock, “Birds” starts with a moody vocal akin to Keeley Davis of Engine Down fame, before opening up into a lush landscape of violin and cello.
Still the band is pretty obvious. It’s clear that they listen to a lot of Relient K and Death Cab for Cutie. They don’t break any new ground or evoke any emotions, or really make the listener feel anything at all. The production is clear, but it’s stock and lacks dynamics. While these shortcomings don’t necessarily make for a bad album, it makes it difficult to identify qualities that distinguish them from their peers. For a band with a clear amount of talent and ability, it would be nice to see them take some risks.
Birds & Cages demonstrates a band with broad potential that needs to be nudged in the right direction. While Deas Vail certainly knows what they’re doing, they lack the adventure and creativity needed to excite the listener. It’s like vanilla bean ice cream; dress it up all you want, but at the end of the day it’s still the same old vanilla.
--Alex Burton
Comments
Leeds, England
"The best way to describe Deas Vail is “pleasant.”"
Word.
I liked their debut, but this is just too bland/boring. No real stand-outs.
Minnesota
I've never understood the appeal of this band...
Find me EVERYWHERE:
San Jose, CA
They have an amazing vocalist and all, but I can see this release just being average. They're just an indie piano pop band - nothing more nothing less.
last.fm/user/thetsaiguy
Yeah that's pretty much the gist of it. Kind of a bummer because the kid can really sing. The music is just a snoozefest though.
http://www.myspace.com/paulson
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