Bodies of Water – A Certain Feeling (CD)

Bodies of Water have been around since 2005, and have released (before “A Certain Feeling”) an EP (2005’s “Bodies of Water”) and an LP (“Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink”). “A Certain Feeling” is the first full-length released after they have signed with Bloomington, Indiana’s Secretly Canadian. The disc itself begins with “Gold, Tan, Peach, and Grey”, giving listeners a blast of sixties singer-songwriter that eventually opens up into a pretty intense brand of indie rock. The act itself seems to navigate well the work of acts like Switchblade Symphony, Heart, and The Psychedelic Furs, imbuing this interesting mix of influences with a sound that speaks to current fans of music.

The six-minute introduction to Bodies of Water moves into “Under the Pines”, a track of similar length that gives the instrumental side of the band the spotlight. The act dons their seventies rock apparel, tying everything together with a synthesizer that floats above the track as the guitar, drums, and bass create something that is not too far from a Kansas or Outlaws. When the vocals finally enter into the equation, they come forth with more than a fair share of CSNY influence. The richness of the compositions on “A Certain Feeling” will ensure that the disc stays in listeners’ players for a long time, as those listeners have to properly dissect these dense and filling compositions to their fullest. Later tracks, such as “Darling, Be Here” continue with the same high quality that Bodies of Water began their “A Certain Feeling”. Specifically, the guitar that vacillates between rapid trills and fuzzy, “wall of sound” types of riffs tells more of a story than any vocals could conceivably hope to do.

The band continually adds to their sound as well. This means that during the aforementioned “Darling, Be Here”, Bodies of Water put forth an angularity to their sound that will remind fans of early Cure, while the all-in vocals during the track show the band’s use of a Polyphonic Spree sound. Bodies of Water have only been releasing albums for a few years, but the maturity of their sound and the consequence of their compositions on “A Certain Feeling” will undoubtedly earn them a space at all of the most exclusive festivals and tours of the late summer and early fall. If you like expansive rock music that touches upon a number of genres and decades, make it a point to pick up “A Certain Feeling”.

Top Tracks: If I Were A Bell, Keep Me On

Rating: 7.3/10

Bodies of Water – A Certain Feeling / 2008 Secretly Canadian / 9 Tracks / http://www.bodiesofwater.net / http://www.secretlycanadian.com /