Girl at the Rock Shows

Okay, I know I kind of missed the boat as far as the “Spring” portion of this album goes. I don’t know about where you are, but here in the Twin Cities, it’s definitely feeling like summer. Per usual, I’m behind. As I mentioned last time I did an album review, they are just hard for me these days due to the lack of time and motivation, but something in my gut is telling me that today is the day I should check out this album from Canary Complex, so let’s do just that.

This album opens with “Corsets Fall,” which instantly grabbed my attention, even though my mind was going a million miles an hour with all of the things I wanted to accomplish before I go to my show tonight. It has this old-timey kind of start that quickly crescendos into a catchy little earworm of epic proportions before the vocals come in. I don’t know what I was expecting when it came to the vocal style in this opening song, but it definitely wasn’t what I got. I think I was expecting super bright and upbeat, kind of like the earworm that kicks the track off, but, instead, I was greeted by this deep and slightly dark voice that felt like heartache with every word. Okay, maybe saying it felt like heartbreak is a lie because, really, this opening track stays up beat and super infectious but you’ll understand what I’m saying as soon as you start listening to this track.

“Corsets Fall” stops super abruptly to give way to “The Face of God.” At first, the hard stop was jarring, but as this second song started to take over my house, I didn’t mind it. The vibe changes completely when it comes to this song, but it stays firm in the Canary Complex world. At first, this song doesn’t feel as upbeat, but as you get to the chorus, you realize it’s just as catchy, just in a different way. Instead of catching your head and instantly making you tap your toe, “The Face of God” instantly catches your heart. The words of this song create a world as deep as the overall tone of the track, and it’s easy to say that this is one of those songs that could be taken a million ways. If you’re feeling lonely, this song will comfort you and remind you that you’re not alone. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, this song will calm you and bring you back to earth.

I swear I’m not just saying this because of the title, but “Déshabillez-Moi” instantly had me feeling like I was in a French bistro of sorts. Maybe that title isn’t even French, and I’ll be honest, the feeling is fleeting as it only seems to last through the playful opening of this track, but I love how seemingly random this was, but also how it fit so perfectly as this track durned into an infectious jangly number with no shortage of drama. Although you can hear the sheer talent of the vocals throughout this album, I feel like they really come to fruition in this song as you hear them climb insane ladders before sliding back down to that deep and dark tone that kicked the album off.

I don’t know why, but my gut said to light some incense before checking out this album, and while I listened to “Seance,” I understood why. The smell of sage was taking over my senses as this hauntingly beautiful song took over my soul. I’m not saying that you have to light incense in order to enjoy this epic piece of art, but I will say that it just adds to the atmosphere that this song creates. Each one of these songs feels like a million journeys in one due to the interesting composition that comes with them, but something about this one feels a bit more epic than others. Some of that could be due to the micro-breaks that happen before Canary Complex flips the script on the track. Even with those micro-breaks, everything about “Seance” feels cohesive, and it comes together to create such an epic world.

“Hyacinthine” seems to start with a small callback to “Déshabillez-Moi,” but, instead of being a playful and joyous track, this one feels so much darker. It’s slower and more deliberate, with a bit more of a musical theatre kind of quality to it. Although I feel like there’s a hint of musical theatre throughout this album, the way it comes through in this song in particular is stunning. There are layers on layers and, although I’ve listened to this song no less than half a dozen times, I still don’t think I’ve sifted through all of them. Don’t mistake my words for meaning that this song is a muddy feeling; it’s not. Every layer is so perfectly placed and measured against the other layers that it works more like a scene out of a musical of sorts, and, as a musical theatre geek myself, it sang to my soul.

When was the last time you heard an epic harp intro? Honestly, I feel like it’s such an underutilized instrument that people are almost scared to use, but not Canary Complex, and it sets the stage for “Papillon 〜Snow Angel〜” so perfectly. Again, the beginning of this song feels a bit French bistro in a way. It instantly reminded me of Billy Joel’s “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” but only for a second before Canary Complex took the song off to their unique world of subtle darkness, beautiful heartbreak, deep pain, and insane beauty. I don’t know why, but as this song played through, I kept getting an image of a super old town with a vampire stalking the streets. This could be just me, but I’d be interested to see if any of you get that image as well.

“Pierrot (deep sky)” is such a perfect title for the seventh track on this album because, truthfully, this five and a half minute long song reads like a skyscape. It’s dark and vast, but throughout it, you get dazzling stars here and there and even a few supernovas that explode as you’re traveling by them. I really can not understate how well this band is able to create an entire world with a song. Although I’m just sitting at my desk while I write this, I feel like with every song, I’ve had to listen to it at least three times. The first time is to get over the initial shock of the talent and perfection. The second time is to let my mind wander wherever it may go, and then the third is to write it all down. If this review feels a bit disjointed, this is probably why, but I feel like it just goes to show the originality of this album in a way.

“It’s up to You” closes this album on a super-powerful note. This song may be the last track, but I feel like you see a whole other side of Canary Complex on this one. The song feels just a bit brighter and the vocals a bit more spirited in a more commercial kind of way. Instead of this 80s kind of dark synth-pop influence, the focus turns into something a bit more infectious indie-pop in a perfect way. Don’t get me wrong, you can still tell that this is a Canary Complex song, but I just love how it seems to shift the overall mood of the album as if daring you to forget the journey that was ‘A Whisper of Spring.’

Tl;dr: Whether you’re a musical theatre kid or not, this song will hit all of the right notes. If you are a musical theatre kid at heart, you will love the drama and production that is perfectly and expertly placed behind every beat of this album. If you aren’t, you’ll fall in love with the way that every single song on ‘A Whisper of Spring’ creates a whole new world for you to explore. Dramatic but in all of the best ways, this album from Canary Complex is definitely worth the journey a couple of times over.

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