Bodies of Water
A Certain Feeling
(Secretly Canadian, 2008) 

With anthemic choruses, theatrical execution, and husband-and-wife team David and Meredith Metcalf heading the cast, Bodies of Water could easily be likened to the Arcade Fire, but they are more subtle, less spectacular, and therefore make less of an impact. However, though not necessarily a vital band, they are to be applauded for the sincerity of their third release, A Certain Feeling. The album is aptly named. Each track crafts a deliberate mood through its use of melancholia, whimsy, ebullience, theatrics, or cool, jazzy ambience.

It’s difficult for any band these days to resonant eover the scores of other rock bands, and Bodies of Water is such a band that could easily get submerged by their musical contemporaries—that’s the reality for a group that cops a currently popular sound. However, there are profound musical moments to be extracted from each track, and it’s an overall pleasing little journey through A Certain Feeling.

Let’s start from the beginning…

“Gold, Tan, Peach and Grey” starts off with a chiming, harmonious melody. Lilting and lovely, it builds into a rousing assemblage of sound, with Mr. Metcalf’s voice kinda sounding like David Bowie before a chorus kicks in to build on the intensity of the song. “Under the Pines” is almost eerie, with an ominous classic rock guitar riff that beckons repetitive rounds of sound that halt and stumble, slowly adding other elements to a mix that, ultimately, doesn’t go anywhere. “Only You” is mournful and ambient, with Mrs. Metcalf’s vocals maybe trying too deliberately to recall what Regine Chassagne does for the Arcade Fire on her own solo vocal tracks. “Water Here” is a rocking, reggae-influenced tune that recalls something like Bob Marley’s “War” but breaks into an unexpected, horn-accented dance song, though the vocal lines leave something to be desired.

“Keep Me On” is the midway point and is meandering, mournful, and pretty—and from which the title of the album is drawn: “A certain feeling it is familiar / Deep and wide, deep and wide / And the figurines that we make we made / With heavy, heavy hands and hearts.” “Darling, Be Here” is of a rigorous, classic rock sound that crescendos into an uproarious chorus of voices, the album’s peak of energy. “Even In a Cave” is a taste of experimental jazz sampling, a little bit avant garde in its use of moody background noises. “If I Were a Bell” is my favorite song on the album, and employs all of the elements that comprise this group: A pensive intro, catchy verse, anthemic choruses—the best example of what Bodies of Water is capable of when they streamline their focus a bit. Finally, the last song, “The Mud Gapes Open” is a piano-laden track that harmonizes the Metcalf’s voices and has a sound reminiscent of psychedelic folk-rock.

Though each song is relatively well-built on its own, the album as a whole is, ultimately, fairly forgettable, and will more than likely be overlooked in the deep excess of the indie rock pool of today. However, there are captivating moments to be heard within its inflated framework, and with a more focused, intensive, and inward looking approach, there is genuine optimism for what Bodies of Water could produce in their future efforts.

Listen: Various Tracks [at myspace.com]

More articles like this:

The Long Disappearance and Welcome Return of Vashti Bunyan

Album review: War on Drugs, Wagonwheel Blues

Album review: Citay, Little Kingdom