One of the biggest complaints people had with What Laura Says' debut album (an album that I adored and regarded as one of the best releases of 2008) was its lack of cohesiveness. They said it was too sporadic, too varied and that the band never found their own distinct voice. I, on the other hand, whole heartedly disagreed, considering Thinks and Feels to be a triumphant pop gem that bordered on modern day pop perfection. The band seems to have listened to the naysayers rather than me though. On their follow up, Bloom Cheek, the band has strayed away from their playful retro pop side in favor of a more low key sound dotted with extended instrumental work and understated indie pop compositions. It’s a sound that disappointed me upon first listen and though the band is still fun and gloriously harmonic, they seem to fall into the crowd on much of Bloom Cheek rather than triumphantly standing out of it.
On parts of their second full length, What Laura Says sounds less like the exciting and sonically varied band that created their debut and more like ultra popular indie bands like Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear. Rather than sunny '60s style pop music, the band ventures into a sound that can be better described as baroque pop than retro pop. On top of that, we even lose touch with lead singer Danny Godbold in a way. Instead of having Godbold's voice centered in the forefront of the band's swirling sounds like it had been on previous recordings, the lead singer is often times lost within the band's harmonies. Although those harmonies are good, and at times very good, it's still a disappointment to see Godbold thrown into the vocal mix rather than charismatically taking the lead.
It's not only the fantastic retro pop elements of What Laura Says that has been shunned, the roots influenced folk pop only makes one stray appearance on Bloom Cheek - in the form of the fleeting “Keep Running Shoes Special.” Beginning with a solitary acoustic guitar, the song sounds as if it is just another track on the album that borders on tedious rather than playful. The sound suddenly picks up though, first with vocal harmony and then with another notch added to the tempo. The song really hits its stride when a countrified electric guitar turns the song into a fun little jig. The three minutes of “Keep Running Shoes” ends much too soon though. The following song, “Lines and Colours,” sees What Laura Says enter into an atmospheric instrumental track. It’s a composition that does contain some interesting moments, but overall it failed to really capture my attention like a solid rock/pop instrumental should. It’s one of two instrumental tracks on Bloom Cheek which I’m sure are there to string the songs together to try and make for a more cohesive album, but they seem to just make the album drag on more than anything.
The first half of Bloom Cheek is no doubt the most entertaining half of the album. “Training” starts things off in much the same way that “Couldn’t Lose Myself If I Tried” started off their debut, with a solid build up into a perfect hook. The album’s title track is another highlight of the album, the haunting harmonies and the low key keyboard creating a hypnotic slow dancer of a song. Once the bridge of the song turns into a rousing, multi-part vocal explosion and then settles down into an acoustic laced, finger snapping harmony driven end, I remembered why I loved this band so much in the first place. The jaunty piano track that follows, “I Suppose,” is another splendid pop track that is reminiscent of the best of What Laura Says has to offer.
The latter half of the disc is where this album loses track. After a run of wonderful pop songs, we slow down into distant instrumental tracks and airy baroque pop. The album ends with the piano driven “Lambhair McDaniel.” It’s a track that makes up for the six sleepy songs that preceded it. Going out on a strong note typically helps sway my opinion on an album. A solid final track goes along way to leaving a pleasant rather than a sour taste in one’s mouth. That being said, it’s hard to call Bloom Cheek anything but another solid outing by a very talented group of artists. Though I’m obviously disappointed by the album as a whole, I still greatly enjoyed a number of songs on Bloom Cheek. And, despite its setbacks, What Laura Says has created another album that is fun, first and foremost. Too bad more bands don’t seem to be having nearly as much fun as these guys always do.
"Bloom Cheek" is on sale July 6, 2010 from Terpsikhore.
