The Submarines
Honeysuckle Weeks
Nettwerk
By Miriam Lamey
The CA-native duo of The Submarines, John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard, are indeed the happy, creative couple, rather frighteningly similar to Mates of State. The lyrics on Honeysuckle Weeks are certainly infused with reflections, observations and the pure enjoyment of loving and feeling love reciprocated. Where this could be miserably sugary sweet, The Submarines manage to present a pleasant and gorgeous collection of lyrics and melodies; their honesty shines through, making this album a delectable sonic chocolate caramel, rather than a gag-inducing scoop of thick frosting.
Sonically, Honeysuckle Weeks is reminiscent of the earlier work of Canada’s Stars.. In short, it’s pretty indie pop with soft, lithe vocals and charming guitars. On tracks like “Thorny Thicket,” the band play with light, perky beats, thick, reverberating keys and watery synth sounds. Hazard’s vocals swing up and above the playful electronica and she dramatically thrills to the words “I cried ‘love, love’ and the skies opened up.” In contrast, the jumpier “You Me and the Bourgeoisie” has a darker vibe with heavier riffs and slightly muffled vocals; the overall effect sounds like The Cardigans a la Grand Turismo sans Nina Persson’s melancholic warbling and The Cardigans’ eerie darkness. At times, Honeysuckle Weeks would probably benefit from a dusting of doom and gloom as lyrics like “every day we wake up/we choose love, we chose light,” give the impression the band are trying to impart their wisdom on top a rapt audience swollen with love. Fortunately (perhaps thanks to some cheerful, quick riffs?) prevent the tune from being preachy. Another standout track is the sleepier “Swimming Pool,” that employs light acoustic picking, back-to-basics percussion and bright electronic blips that sound reminiscent of water dripping. Not of the leaky tap variety, mind you.
In fact, Honeysuckle Weeks is neither dreary nor irritatingly upbeat. Somehow, The Submarines manage to push indie pop to the absolute limits and still present an edge - one that occasionally comes across as bluesy and reflective. The joy of this album comes from both the love expressed through the lyrics and catchy tunes, but also the sheer range of instrumentation and sounds in each track. Honeysuckle Weeks is undoubtedly playful and pleasant, but in a grown-up, experienced way that simply adds to its appeal. On the other hand, Honeysuckle Weeks illustrates The Submarines lack Belle and Sebastian’s sonic dexterity and worldlier blending of sprightly pop with reflections on the more unpleasant, sinister (pun intended) sides of life and love.
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