To some, Duncan Sheik is the one-hit-wonder behind "Barely Breathing" (released over a decade ago in Duncan's debut, self-titled album). To others, he is the two-hit-wonder behind the aforementioned title and "On a High" from Daylight. And to yet others (myself included in this group), he is the underrated, underexposed and understated singer/songwriter behind "Genius", "Half-Life", Spring Awakening* and now Whisper House. Incidentally, Whisper House shares more in common with Spring Awakening than anything else I've heard of his - and that is a very good thing. Like the Tony-award winning musical, Whisper House is full of stories, surprising melodies and harmonies and thoughtful lyrics. One thing I've always liked about Duncan is his unimposing, restrained melodies - sometimes they're created by ethereal, haunting keyboards, other times pensive, acoustic guitar.
Unlike his singles, "Barely Breathing" and "On a High", much of Whisper House is reserved, slower tempo and more prosaic. Where those two songs embody a feeling, the songs from Whisper House tell a story; about a lighthouse keeper, a sheriff, a naive man named Soloman Snell... these are the characters of Duncan's songs. And at the same time, Duncan's songs have always been very introspective and lucid, and they still are. As a composer, Duncan has seemed to mature; between Spring Awakening and Whisper House, the two albums have some of the most interesting and beautiful vocal harmonies I've heard. That being said, I wouldn't recommend Whisper House to everyone - there are no clear "singles" ("We're Here to Tell You" is probably the closest semblance to a single) and it may take a few listens through the entire album before it grows on you (it took me three or four - thus my slightly delayed review).
Fave tracks: "Play Your Part", "The Ghost in You", "We're Here to Tell You", "Better to be Dead"
RIYL: Spring Awakening, Brooke Waggoner, Sufjan Stevens, Jason Robert Brown
*Spring Awakening is a Tony award-winning rock musical composed by Duncan Sheik, book and lyrics by Steven Sater. It won the Tony awards for Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score in 2007 as well as a Grammy award for Musical Show Album.
1 comment:
Ooh, I may have to check this album out. I will always love Duncan's simply beautiful love song, "For You." Also, with a name like Duncan Sheik, how can you really go wrong? Such a cool name.
Post a Comment