Susan Frances
06/16/08, 01:46 PM
The Submarines - Honeysuckle Weeks
Record Label: Nettwerk Records
Release Date: May 13, 2008
The Submarines created an entertaining album of light-hearted pop ditties for their second release Honeysuckle Weeks. The husband and wife team of synthesizer player/vocalist John Dragonetti and lead singer Blake Hazard show the sonic glitter of Grand National and the folksy melodic indexes of Emily Haines. Some tracks sound like a revamped version of The Zombies ‘60s pop like “The Thorny Thicket” and “The Wake Up Song,” while other songs have a modern electro-pop base like “Submarine Symphonika” and “You, Me And The Bougeoise.” The song “1940” shows a likeness to the bluesy tendencies of Sephardic jazz with a tinge of gypsy-styled tambourines and chinks of perky xylophone-like chimes. The bobbing acoustic/alt-pop ringlets of “Swimming Pool” have a child-like glee, and the light springy jets of “Maybe” gingerly slip and slide making fun slopes for Blake and John’s vocals to ride. The cream puff textures of “Xavia” is light and fluffy while the balladry fluges of “Brightest Hour” and the weaving acoustic cuts along “Fern Beard” have a meditative complexion. The music is gentle and lamb-like while displaying intricate detailing anchored in folksy sensibilities. It is an album that has well-defined boundaries while bussing in emotive blips and brooks of chime-studded ringlets.
The lyrics re-enforce a positive perception of life’s circumstances like in the song “Submarine Symphonika.” The words tell, “Love finds you ... Everybody deserves to be adored / Why should you settle for less when the world offers you more.” When some people see the glass as half empty, The Submarines see the same glass as being half full. They see the positive side of losses, frustrations and defeats that enter life. If a relationship does not work out, it is because it was for the best. If you don’t get a job that you interview for, it is because something better was up ahead. If the road that you are on does not produce the results that you want, it is because you need to think differently in order find the road that you really belong on to get where you want to go. In other words, the impasses in life exist to encourage people to give up on what does not work for them and avails them to those choices that do.
The Submarines have a certain uniqueness that is appealing and agreeable with people’s sensory systems. Their electro-pop surges are lightly bristled by orchestral tones that create glossy dewdrops, which exhibit a tranquilizing synchronicity with the synth aspects of the arrangements. The music subdues its listener into a trance state, and from there, the music’s sensations take over and it becomes all that can be felt.
Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes, Mates of State.
www.myspace.com/thesubmarinesmusic (http://www.myspace.com/thesubmarinesmusic)
Record Label: Nettwerk Records
Release Date: May 13, 2008
The Submarines created an entertaining album of light-hearted pop ditties for their second release Honeysuckle Weeks. The husband and wife team of synthesizer player/vocalist John Dragonetti and lead singer Blake Hazard show the sonic glitter of Grand National and the folksy melodic indexes of Emily Haines. Some tracks sound like a revamped version of The Zombies ‘60s pop like “The Thorny Thicket” and “The Wake Up Song,” while other songs have a modern electro-pop base like “Submarine Symphonika” and “You, Me And The Bougeoise.” The song “1940” shows a likeness to the bluesy tendencies of Sephardic jazz with a tinge of gypsy-styled tambourines and chinks of perky xylophone-like chimes. The bobbing acoustic/alt-pop ringlets of “Swimming Pool” have a child-like glee, and the light springy jets of “Maybe” gingerly slip and slide making fun slopes for Blake and John’s vocals to ride. The cream puff textures of “Xavia” is light and fluffy while the balladry fluges of “Brightest Hour” and the weaving acoustic cuts along “Fern Beard” have a meditative complexion. The music is gentle and lamb-like while displaying intricate detailing anchored in folksy sensibilities. It is an album that has well-defined boundaries while bussing in emotive blips and brooks of chime-studded ringlets.
The lyrics re-enforce a positive perception of life’s circumstances like in the song “Submarine Symphonika.” The words tell, “Love finds you ... Everybody deserves to be adored / Why should you settle for less when the world offers you more.” When some people see the glass as half empty, The Submarines see the same glass as being half full. They see the positive side of losses, frustrations and defeats that enter life. If a relationship does not work out, it is because it was for the best. If you don’t get a job that you interview for, it is because something better was up ahead. If the road that you are on does not produce the results that you want, it is because you need to think differently in order find the road that you really belong on to get where you want to go. In other words, the impasses in life exist to encourage people to give up on what does not work for them and avails them to those choices that do.
The Submarines have a certain uniqueness that is appealing and agreeable with people’s sensory systems. Their electro-pop surges are lightly bristled by orchestral tones that create glossy dewdrops, which exhibit a tranquilizing synchronicity with the synth aspects of the arrangements. The music subdues its listener into a trance state, and from there, the music’s sensations take over and it becomes all that can be felt.
Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes, Mates of State.
www.myspace.com/thesubmarinesmusic (http://www.myspace.com/thesubmarinesmusic)