Landing - Seasons
(Ba Da Bing!)
Seasons is radiant. It is some the most alluring music Landing has put out. The theme of the songs is the four seasons, and Landing creates the sensations and imagery of fall, winter, spring, and summer with both the music and the lyrics. The songs are imaginative, and I am impressed with the band's use of electronic instruments like keyboards and processed guitars to make earthy sounds like wind and falling leaves.
The vibrant guitars, quivering keyboards, and mild drumming is recognizably Landing, and the winter songs have the full, textured sound of their older music. But on Seasons, many songs are more simple and straightforward, with clear vocals and strong bass lines and melodies.
In "First Snow," the bass and keyboards throb, and the guitars reverberate under male and female vocals. Chimes sparkle like icicles, and every once in a while the keyboards and guitar are shrill above the song's heavy tone. The lyrics are especially wintry: "Skeleton tree / It calls to me / Show me your face / Don't look away."
"Fall Song" is much warmer, with keyboards resonating behind acoustic guitar, while delicate harmonic picking forms a melody over everything. The bass travels easily in the background, and the drums are so mellow they are nearly unnoticeable. The soft lyrics almost disappear into the music and they ask, "Can you feel the wind blow through your hair? / Do you see the leaves fall over there? / I do." These lines are similar to others on the album. Seasons is almost transcendental in its simple focus on nature and how we experience it.
The last summer song, "Blue Sky Away," is one of my favorites. It has an easygoing beat, and the bass line flows beneath loosely strummed guitars. Aaron and Adrienne's voices are airy and bright, as are the keyboards. "Blue Sky Away" portrays the poignant emotions of summertime perfectly.
Seasons is an evocative, unique album. It explores imagery and captures sensations in an uncommon way. More than that, though, it is just beautiful music, worthy of many listens. I recommend you make Seasons a part of your collection as soon as possible.
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