In a year overflowing with bands who pride themselves on their discordantly noisy music and lo-fi production Freelance Whales stand in defiant opposition of their trendy peers. What the Queens based band have produced with Weathervanes is an unabashedly melodic album of shimmering orchestral folk with elements of electro pop thrown in for good measure. Replete with harmonium, glockenspiel, banjo and tambourine it’s the kind of ambitious undertaking that would make Sufjan Stevens proud given its lush and intricate arrangements.
However what makes the band stand out is their unique use of electronic elements. The tinkling keyboards and laptop blips add an extra layer of texture to songs, which already snap, sparkle and shine. “Starring”, the finest example of their dalliances with electronica, could almost be mistaken for a more upbeat Casiotone for the Painfully Alone b-side. It’s this combination of organic instrumentation and synthetic sound that create something wholly original and rarely heard in the over-crowded indie folk world.
Freelance Whales excel not only sonically, but lyrically as well. Standout “Generator ^ Second Floor” is about as grand and gorgeous as the genre comes. It builds to unstoppable heights and soars with a pensive, yet uplifting chorus about our impending mortality. “We will put this flesh into the ground again” might seem like a depressing sentiment when merely read on the page, but when backed by towering orchestrations and swelling sing-along harmonies, it becomes empoweringly anthemic. It’s sentimental sure, yet never maudlin. Elsewhere on “Location” with his angelic choirboy vocals, again akin to Sufjan, lead singer Judah Dadone croons, “what a flammable heart, I have been given.” Regardless of whether they’re singing about love or loss, the massive melodies remain as intact and as urgent as ever.
Meanwhile, opener “Generator ^ First Floor” recalls the Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up” with its chorus of crescendoing “ahhs” while “Location” is vaguely reminiscent of Belle & Sebastian’s “Judy And the Dream of Horses.” Those might seem like some pretty lofty touchstones to compare a band that’s only in its infancy too. However as a debut album Weathervanes is more confident and fully formed than records by band with years of experience under their belts.
Given the dense arrangements, there is a lot to take in on one sitting. Between the grandiose instrumentation, sparkling synths and rich vocal harmonies, multiple listens are definitely required to fully grasp the intricacies of these songs. While not always immediate, the melodies are rewarding as they slowly unspool, rich with harmonic beauty easily making them one of most ambitious and eclectically promising acts.
