Morning Commute

On the way into work today, I needed something upbeat, but not too heavy. It was a nice day and the long week had worn me down, I needed music to propel me on my weary commute. I put on my headphones and with tired eyes I scrolled through my iPhone's music selection and found just what I was craving.  

Future Islands - In the Evening Air

Future Island's second full-length album finds the band in top form. The talented trio consists of Gerrit Welmers on keyboard and programming, William Cashion on bass and guitars, and Samuel T. Herring on vocals. The band originally described this album as "post-wave" after its release, and that seems like an appropriate genre for what they're trying to achieve. 

There are heavy 80s new wave influences here and most of the songs are driven by bouncing bass lines, looping synthesizer melodies, drum machine rhythms, and emotionally heavy vocals. The structure and presentation is simple, yet the music is subtly detailed, lush and playful. There's also clearly a theatrical element at work. There's a strong emphasis on storytelling in the lyrics and Herring takes the role and runs with it. He is dramatic, a true showman, constantly walking the line between over-the-top and grand performance. He has a unique voice and delivery, wordy and gritty. He sounds like an old-timey butler, complete with white gloves, top hat and monocle, soul sick from his years of service and lack of a real family. He sounds like Dracula, holed up in his Transylvania castle alone for centuries. He sounds like something from a far away time and place, and it works.

There are several stand-out tracks that illustrate the one-of-a-kind electropop storytelling that Future Islands produces. "Long Flight" is my personal favorite with its danceable rhythm, driving bass, and looping, stuck-in-your-head synth melody. The instruments create the perfect setting for Herring's vocals to wail and weave through the music. It tells the tragic story of an unfaithful woman who "Can't look me in the eyes anymore without the rivers to tend, because you remember our love was true but you just needed a hand." It's heartbreaking, angry, raw and energetic, an emotional roller coaster. 

The album as a whole is awesome, and a particularly great listen on headphones. This is a band that is carving out their own path and is formidable in their passion. I'm looking forward to catching them in concert because I'd imagine it adds an extra dimension to their theatrical music and would make for a powerful performance.  

Album Highlights: Long Flight, Walking Through That Door, Tin Man, Vireo's Eye, Inch of Dust, As I Fall