Wavorly Conquers
Posted October 30, 2008
By Beck,
Wavorly began in 2001, as a punk pop band called Freshman 15. Between then and now they have grown into mature sounding modern rock band, and they only have one album out!
Drawing from a long line of influences from Relient K to Classic music to Dream Theater, they have a very fresh sound. I first heard of Wavorly from the NRT podcast and I was hooked. Their debut sounds like it could be any other band's third or forth effort, proving that this is no ordinary group.
The first full song "Madmen" is a creative hard rock song with lots of great guitar riffs and catchy melodies. Everything is very well done, and even the bass work is worth mentioning. The lyrics speak of what little time we have and how we need to make our lives count. "No excuses, the time for change is here and now."
The next song "Part One" starts out with screaming rock guitars and tapers off into a verse filled with a palm muted electric guitar and plucked string instruments then builds back into a sing along chorus.
The song is about how light and dark can't coexist, you have to choose one or the other.
The third song of the album is "Stay With Me", a punk pop sounding song with pulsing drums and memorable melodies. It's not a standout but it's still a good song and doesn't take away from the album.
"Praise and Adore" is Praise and Worship song, which is unexpected considering the musical tone of the first three songs. What is even more unusual is that it's actually very good. I'm sure it didn't get the radio airtime it deserved, it's so much better then most of what the radio plays.
With "Endless Day" the album picks up the pace again. It has a distinctly prog rock feel, especially in the intro. It's also one of the stand outs on this record.
Conquering the Fear of Flight continues with yet another strong song, "Sleeper". The drums are especially good. It's about God calling us awake, the lyrics to the chorus are,
"Sleeper, no deeper
Lift your eyes
Awake from dreaming
Sleeper, arise and you will find life
The answer is in Me"
The strings throughout the song are very tastefully done.
"Summer Song" is a romantic song driven by the acoustic guitar. Light drums and strings join in at the second verse as Dave Stovall sings,
"Two years ago, I had no idea that you were so perfect
As we wait so long, until we join hands
You make the wait worth it"
"Time I Understood" is a punk pop influenced song about things working out for good even when you doubted they would. After the rock part is done a piano and string duet begins. It adds a nice little break and ties the mid-album back to the Intro. Like "Stay With Me" it's not one of the best tracks, but it's good nonetheless.
"Forgive and Forget", a song that is not easily forgotten. It is one of the heaviest and best songs in the record. The foot tapping and memorable chorus is the pinnacle of the song and the verses provide a solid foundation for it.
The high hat (cymbal) being played on the up beats makes you want jump up and start clapping to the beat. And it finishes off with kick drum pounding. Try not to hit your head on anything if you listen to "Forgive and Forget" while in a small and enclosed area.
The following song is "How Have We Come This Far". It begins with a mellow piano and soft orchestral strings, which it followed by acoustic guitar, bass, rolling cymbals and vocals being added to the mix. It builds to the climax, which is the chorus where the honest lyrics deal are of someone wondering how he got so far from God and realizing he needs to change.
The electric guitar driven song "Twenty Twenty" returns back the pace of the earlier songs. It is a mixture of all of Wavorly's influences, everything from punk to pop to classical to progressive to hard rock can be heard. While that may seem like an odd combo that would end in disaster it actually works quite well and makes "Twenty Twenty" another stand out.
The last track is "Tale of the Dragon's Defeat".
It's a hard rock song that sounds sort of like something Skillet would write, with guitars and strings working together to create the riffs.
The lyrics actually tell a story, and I would suggest reading along with them as you listen.
"The Defeat" is sort of like part two of the intro, and like the intro is less then two minutes long with strings and piano.
Overall I think this is extremely strong debut album that is highly creative and entertaining to listen to. The unique sound is a must hear for any modern rock fan. Though God is rarely mentioned by name the songs are written from a Christian point of view about issues that relate to Christian life. Any stickler for Christian lyrics should find nothing wrong with them.
I'm giving it 4 out of five stars, because a few songs feel like album fillers. But the vast majority of them don't, making this album worth every penny.
I'd recommend Wavorly's "Conquering the Fear of Flight" for anyone who likes Skillet, Kutless, Relient K, The Killers, Subseven and Decyfer Down View All Music And Book Reviews By Beck | View Beck's Profile
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