Captain of the Lost Waves has a style unlike any other indie musician I have ever reviewed. The band's distinct musical stylings possess an interesting combination of antique and modern sounds.
They are based in Yorkshire, United Kingdom and are here to put a dent in the indie music industry. Besides Captain of the Lost Waves himself, the band consists of three other members: Murray Grainger, Tony Taffinder, and Dave Bowie Jr.
Hidden Gems - Chapter 1
They recently released a new album titled Hidden Gems - Chapter 1 on March 8th. The musical genres of this album involve rock, progressive, experimental, and nu vaudeville.
The last genre mentioned is one I was not familiar with upon first learning of the band.
After doing some research, I learned this genre is based on 20th century performance entertainment consisting of specialty acts, such as burlesque comedy as well as songs and dancing. Furthermore, these acts were based in the United States and Canada.
What comes to my mind when factoring this information in are circus acts and freak shows of that time; or better yet the sad-face clowns with their satirical dispositions. Interesting, right?
Behind the scenes
Getting back to their album, it includes nine colorful, quirky tracks that shake up the imagination. As for the vocals, The Captain and Taffinder are in charge of this area.
The Captain sings lead vocals, while Taffinder does backup vocals, at least to my understanding. And they have some impressive pipes.
The Captain's singing is powerful, harmonious, clear, and a bit playful. He sings as though he is performing on Broadway. It's as if he is singing before a large audience, full of theatrical wonder.
In between the singing, there are moments of dialogue, which help add variety to the music.
As for the instrumentals, each member contributes in this area. For example, you can hear the sounds of bouzouki, ukulele, accordion, mandolin, banjo, guitar, bowed bass, and more. Together, they produce folksy, rhythmic sounds that pair well with the singing.
Since each song is very different from the others, the variety of instruments help bring out the unique essence of each track. Certain songs have particular sounds other songs lack, presenting artistry that is true to the nature of vaudeville.
As for the lyrics, they are imaginative, quirky, and sort of hard to nail down the exact meaning of. Collectively, the lyrics are all over the place, picking at peculiar aspects of life it seems. And they are the most profound thing about the band's music.
The lyrical makeup of each song is like a separate nu vaudeville act, expressing the amusement and melancholy of human nature. It's clear the band is trying to take listeners to another world, while still managing to be down-to-earth.
Overall, I give this album a 9 out of 10 rating. My favorite song is "Summer" thanks to its mesmerizing vocals and acoustic melodies. Check out the music video for "Another Planet" (their very first single ever) below:
