I just finished watching DIG!, a documentary about The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols, their moderate success, mysterious genius, musical throwbacks, and of course lots and lots of drugs and alcohol. The film was interesting enough, but not being a particular huge fan of either group, I wasn’t completely blown away. What I did find interesting however was how major label’s A&R departments fawned over both bands “retro yet new sound.” Both bands make no apologies about being influenced by previous decades but their ability to make their sound relatable to what’s happening today is why they both have seen such success. Innaway, in a similar fashion, brings a retro wash sensibility mixed with a smooth sound and solid songwriting and ultimately offers a refreshing and impressive debut.
Every band should own a studio. In fact, I propose that we start up a foundation to fund the purchasing (for qualified applicants of course) of studios and vacant barns all throughout the world. We could take the funding straight from the “Bridge to No Where” It would more than suffice and I am sure it would benefit the fifty people on Gravina island equally as much. Regardless, if it would help create albums like Innaway’s self-titled debut (not to mention put to use all those random barns), we could all profit.
The album is rich with textures from the electronically ambient to the organically warm. It weaves and changes shape constantly leaving the listener wondering what may be coming next but still provides a consistency that most eclectic records lack. Every time you try to pigeon hole Innaway, they offer up a “Golden” and every time you listen to the record you find something new to love, from the handclaps on “Stolen Days” to the vocal harmonies (and the delightful play on words) on “George Walker on Water.” The album plays almost like a film soundtrack in how lost you can find yourself in it when all of a sudden, its over.
The only complaint I would have about the album is that it does sound viciously like a debut. It’s carelessly ambitious, schizophrenic, and has an overall cautious cleanliness. It’s not that the band sounds weak, quite the contrary actually, but there is a slight tinge of gimmick underneath all the layers of fantastic. It’s a vague aftertaste that reads slightly bitter, but once this band finds its stride and starts walking proudly in it, we all will be in store for some extraordinary music. The danger for Innaway is if they accept their talent for what it is and never let it change or develop. The greatest artists are never satisfied with “promising” or “solid” and mostly don’t let critical success or failure effect the way they write. Time will tell, but for now, Innaway’s full-length debut is a delightful first try. |