By Zachary Burton
Most people at one point in their lives have that band that comes out of the blue and redefines what music is to them. At first you’re just caught by some catchy melody or the singer’s good looks; maybe it’s the way the guitar riffs or the drums pound, but after you get through what can only be the 350th time you played the first song you heard by them, you finally realize that band is that band. For me, The Dear Hunter is that band, and with its new record, “Migrant,” it continues to be that band.
“Migrant” begins slowly, a orchestra warming up lends to a slow piano line that is supported by a whisper of vocals by lead singer Casey Crescenzo and a drummer keeping a double-time pace. After two minutes of titillating build up, the song erupts into the first track of the CD, “Bring You Down.” The record features a horn section and a string section, instruments that were featured on various tracks from the previous four works by The Dear Hunter, but the strings are a facet frequently utilized, further apparent in the following track, “Whisper,” which was the first single of the record was that most similar to previous works by the group.
The song’s upbeat strings quickly set a tempo that Crescenzo masterfully belts with intensity that the band matches. It was a fitting first release, but as diverse as this album is, it would be hard to say it sets the mood for the album.
Just as “Migrant” isn’t a concept album like the band’s first three CDs, where each seems like an act in a story, the music bounces between styles the entire play through. Where its first three albums were all adrenaline-pumping orchestral rock, “Migrant” goes from slow and jazzy “Shame,” to fuzz rock “Girl,” which featured vocals by his sister, Azia, to give the song a poppy tinge.
From there, the record begins its slow to an end with “Naiveté,” a piano-driven ballad. This can make it hard to access the album as it is a bit different than what long-time fans are used to and might not be what they want out of the band. “Let Go” is like one last hoorah for the upbeat with a piano riff under melodramatic vocals and honking horns. The rest of the CD slows to a stop in what was a disappointing choice. None of the songs on the record are bad individually, but the arrangement of tracks on the second half seems poorly placed.
9/10
Must Listens:
- “Let Go”
- “Shouting at the Rain”
- “Bring You Down”
