Album Review: The Wind & The Wave – From The Wreckage

Dwight A. Baker and Patricia Lynn provide the “wind” and the “wave” respectively in two-piece indie-folk outfit The Wind and the Wave, and their debut album From the Wreckage certainly sounds like the work of a pair of seasoned musicians. From the pounding combination of claps and drum-kicks that usher in opening track My Mama Said Be Careful Where You Lay Your Head, it’s clear that they have a lot of musical energy to expend over the course of the following thirty-nine minutes. The pair’s passion and enthusiasm certainly glosses over some of the track’s more obvious indie-folk trappings.

From the Wreckage Builds a Home immediately changes things up with the introduction of an extremely fuzzy bass guitar to back up another solid track. Lead single With Your Two Hands was definitely the right choice for a single with its upbeat rhythms and constant juggling of instruments between few and many, quiet and loud. Both lead and backup vocals are excellent, especially on the choruses, and Lynn really knows how to work her voice to the best of her abilities.

It’s a Longer Road to California Than I Thought slows things back down with a chilled-out number that sounds as laid-back as its title would suggest. Loyal Friend and Thoughtful Lover is another decent track that brings back the upbeat approach but not as impressively as before. Every Other Sunday Morning marks an upswing by diverging from the album’s pattern of peppy, upbeat numbers. Slow and moody, its placement feels like a breath of fresh air and even on its own it’s still one of the better tracks on the album.

Raising Hands, Raising Hell, Raise ‘Em High ramps up the tempo again but the inclusion of electric instruments is a welcome one that acknowledges the formula of the previous songs and builds off it in exciting ways. When That Fever Takes a Hold on You slows things right back down again, and while it is an alright number (and a lot cheerier than the last slow track) it ultimately feels like a breather track rather than a strong song in its own right.

The Heart It Beats the Thunder Rolls begins with distorted guitar and explodes into a wonderfully cacophonous song filled with fiery vocals and grinding organs. I’m sure if every track was like this the album would get stale quickly but in this context it’s a strong contender for the best song on the album. Naturally, subsequent track A Husband and Wife Should Sleep Together shifts things back into a lower gear with another quiet melancholy number.

This House is a Hotel closes the album with one last upbeat song that brings the album full-circle with its use of clapping and bass drums. The organs and guitar on display evoke a warm and sunny atmosphere and make for an appropriately chipper and bombastic finale to the album. Though it can be difficult for an up-and-coming indie-folk outfit to distinguish themselves in this day and age, The Wind and the Wave prove themselves worthy with a solid debut. They do try to experiment with their sound and while some tracks are less than spectacular, the band can really show what they’re made of when it comes right down to it.

Robert Ward