San Francisco – When a band names an album after themselves that’s not their debut, it’s usually an attempt to reimagine a musical identity (check the Beatles bizarrely beautiful self-titled White Album), reestablish a place in the pantheon of rock ‘n’ roll icons (Pearl Jam’s acceptance of themselves as a full-blown arena rock act on the Avocado Album) or repackage the group to a new audience (Metallica’s transformation from thrash metal heroes to Billboard-charting rock stars on the Black Album). The eponymous sophomore effort from Rose Windows does not quite perform any of those functions, but they certainly tweak their particular brand of psychedelic rock first established on their impressive 2011 debut The Sun Dogs.
The Seattle-based group’s sound is soaked in nostalgia for late ‘60s folk and early ‘70s hard rock, influenced equally by largely forgotten gems of the era like Renaissance and Spooky Tooth. Their songs can turn on a dime from pretty acoustic melodies to crunching distortion and booming toms. It’s possible this could frustrate listeners who prefer one side to the other – the Sabbath-esque riffs rather than the dreamy Donovan harmonies – and tracks like “Bodhi Song” and “Hirami” certainly lean in a decidedly softer direction. Rose Windows is at their best when they balance the two distinct sides to their musical personality.
“Strip Mall Babylon” is one such song that successfully vacillates between spritely verses and chunky choruses, peaking with a groovy instrumental breakdown yet never becoming too muddled with showy musicianship to lose the listener. The punchiest tune on the LP “Glory, Glory,” a searing condemnation of dogmatic religious beliefs, is a clear indication that the sextet could get a whole lot heavier if they really wanted to. “Hallelujah, we’re all insane,” singer Rabia Shaheen Qazi bitterly proclaims between towering guitar riffs and shattering cymbals, the lyrics tinged with anger and disillusionment.
The emotional core of the album, however, is the existential longing of “Come Get Us Again,” a subdued and gorgeous meditation on life and whatever lies beyond it. “There’s gotta be more than nothing,” Rabia sings mournfully, “There’s gotta be something / Just what’s gonna happen / When we finally reach our end?” It’s a haunted rumination soothed by a beautiful piano line, wailing guitar tone and subtle organ flourish. While most of the album’s tracks twist and turn with a lightweight prog-rock sensibility, this one is deceptively direct, preferring simple clarity to deliver its message.
Gone are the meandering 8- and 9-minute epics from The Sun Dogs, replaced with tighter arrangements and an overall smoother flow. Though the band has toned down some of its more psychedelic elements, they can still induce a contact high in the listener with spacey tunes like “Aurora Avenue” full of creeping vocals and Jethro Tull flute.
I don’t think Rose Windows has fully settled on their musical identity just yet. They’re not floating in outer space nor completely down to earth. Their sound doesn’t quite fit the coffee shop or metal club. But with this self-titled assertion of identity, they are one step closer to realizing exactly who they are.
Rose Windows drops this week on Sub Pop. They have only a handful of tour dates listed so far on their Facebook.
Photo of Rose Window By Lauren Rodriguez
Nick Schneider
Latest posts by Nick Schneider (see all)
- FIDLAR Provides the Soundtrack to Another Lost Generation on New LP “Too” - September 1, 2015
- Painted Palms Perfect The Pop Song On New LP Horizons - August 20, 2015
- Kat Robichaud: Born With The Gift Of A Golden Voice - August 10, 2015
