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Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2009 > October > 19 > Entry
CD Review: Sea Wolf, “White Water, White Bloom”
Sea Wolf
‘White Water, White Bloom’
(Dangerbird)
A-
One-time film student Alex Brown Church, through the vessel that is Sea Wolf, plays the role of the wayfaring protagonist seamlessly in “White Water, White Bloom.” The sophomore release is a masterpiece of cinematic imagery so crystal clear that if you listen intently to opening track “Wicked Blood,” you can make out dull light radiating from a street lamp on a cold foggy night, illuminating a mysterious stranger in pearls and an oversized fur coat. Enlisting both producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, M. Ward) and the core members of Sea Wolf’s touring line-up, Church created an album with sonic complexity; an eclectic brand of indie-folk in the vein of The Decemberists. On the heels of debut full-length, “Leaves In The River,” Church picks up where he left off with feral narratives that incorporate classic characters into wildly mythological situations; no song being complete without mention of some element of nature.
Buttery-thick vocals in “The Traitor” resonate with newfound strength derived from extensive roadwork and both the organ purr in “Dew in the Grass” and layered strings in “Turn the Dirt Over” set an overall brooding tone. With Dylan-era folk musings in “The Orchard,” the animalistic, rhythmic churn of “Spirit Horse” and an overall lyrical intimacy reminiscent of Neutral Milk Hotel, Sea Wolf breathes life into characters throughout “White Water,” nurturing each with a gracefully damaged affection.
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