Warren Dunes’ new album ‘Get Well Soon’ is called “a Hallmark card to everyone that lived through 2020” and, even though I see the light at the end of the tunnel, I need the encouragement and support that only a Hallmark card could provide so let’s see if this new album brings all of that to the table.
“Talkin About That Burden” kicks off this ten-song album with a super interesting sound. A steady drumbeat starts it off as a sliding and distorted guitar sound creeps in every few beats. The vocals weren’t quite what I was expecting but, honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. Constantly repeating “Talking about that burden”, the lyrics, although simple, brought a beautiful layer to this opening track and absolutely had me intrigued as to what else I would get from this album.
The sun was shining bright as “Count On Me” took over my house. This track has a super beachy vibe along with something a little psychedelic. It’s a fun track with vocals that, although comparable to those in “Talkin About That Burden”, sing high above the rest of the band. The repetitive nature of the vocals makes this song instantly ear-wormy. Add in the cool key part heard between verses and I found myself completely lost in this track until it was taken over by “No Mud No Lotus”. “No Mud No Lotus” starts off with a muffled conversation which is something I’ve always liked. I feel like conversations like the one that starts this track off really show you some insight to a band and bring a sense of personality to a recording. The beat of “No Mud No Lotus” is a bit more slow and steady and the vocals continued to keep me in a trance-like state. This is a truly stunning track with a very chill vibe that truly had me feeling relaxed.
“Quit Takin A Side” was an instant favorite of mine. There’s this surprising almost reggae side to this track that is absolutely infectious. Overall, this is another super chill track but with a driving force behind it that makes it play through faster than I would have liked. Again, the vocals are the star here but I’m starting to catch onto that being part of Warren Dunes’ signature. There’s an undeniable sense of range in the vocals and that can easily be heard between “Quit Takin A Side” and “Be Good”. The vocals and overall instrumentation take an almost James Bond approach during “Be Good” which brings such a cool sense of swagger to this album.
The shortest track is “Tether” at just over a minute long but this track packs a punch. The instrumentation is minimal on this track and the vocals seem a bit more hurried Like a cascading waterfall, the words just slide down so easily as an almost dreamy soundscape pulls up the background. It’s a magical combination that could have gone on for many more minutes without a single complaint from me. Even though I was bummed when the cool waterfall-like effect left and “Cool Mom (feat. Chris Blunt)” took over, this fun track kept a smile on my face. That California-based psychedelic sound I heard in a few of the first tracks comes back with a vengeance in this track making it an easy-listen. Even when Chris’ reggae-infused hip-hop vocals come in, there’s something super smooth about them that just makes them fit so perfectly. I honestly didn’t hear much of a hip-hop influence in Warren Dunes’ sound but, after hearing how perfectly Chris’s part meshes with the rest of this band, my ears are on alert. I truly hope to hear this band do more with Chris Blount.
The band falls back into a more dreamy vibe for “Fishbowl” giving me a chance to realize that I have yet to really put these guys into a genre to help you get a real feel for the sound. I still can’t do that for you. It’s a little indie-pop, a little California sun, a little lo-fi pop– it’s really all over the place and I feel like each song brings a brand new element into the mix making this album and Warren Dunes nearly unclassifiable. This also makes it such a fun listen and, even though I was clearly lost in my head trying to put this band into a box during “Fishbowl”, there was no way to not listen in every few seconds just to hear what interesting things this band was doing with this track.
“Song Beneath The Sand” brings a more somber vibe to this album in the most beautiful way. A little softer, a little slower, and a lot rawer, there’s something so beautiful about this track. It’s a beauty that I heard throughout this album but it’s nice to see this band kind of strip things back and just lay it all out for you in this track before ending the album with “Just Another Band From Warren Dunes”. I don’t know where Warren Dunes is but this song makes me want to go there. “Just Another Band From Warren Dunes” is the perfect ending to this eclectic album because you hear so many elements pop in and out of the spotlight throughout this track.
I was going to start this closing part with a statement about how I didn’t really get the “Hallmark card effect” from this album but then I realized that was a complete lie. Somehow, listening to this track made me relaxed, motivated, and helped show me the light at the end of the tunnel as far as this pandemic goes. I don’t know how Warren Dunes did it but they did and it has left me with an amazing feeling that one can only get from a brilliant album.
My Favorite Track(s): “Quit Takin A Side”
For Fans Of: Just All-Around Amazing Music; Sunshine Vibes
Daydream-ability: 8 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Artie laid right next to my desk; Autumn ate at the edges of the cardboard boxes I have sitting by my door
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 7 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 7 out of 10
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Check out ‘Get Well Soon’ HERE!
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