"They're still building roads in the South/And we could see them all if we start driving now." These two lines are the beginning to "10 Years and Separating States," the first track off the newest and final album from Watashi Wa, "Eager Seas." With these lines, Seth Roberts invites listeners to follow along on a melodic journey.
The album had spent months in legal limbo before finally hitting shelves last Tuesday and will prove to be worth the wait for any devoted Watashi Wa fan or first-time listener. Roberts, the group's frontman, has a new supporting cast for this record, and his songwriting has matured even more from Watashi Wa's 2002 release, "The Love of Life."
From the melodic fade-in on "10 Years and Separating States" to the piano's closing notes on "Something to Say," the listener is carried along on waves of captivation, strung from song to song. The songs range from the slow and delicate "Something to Say" to the high-performance drive of "Free Ride," and, by creating this range, Watashi Wa proves that, rather than contentedly clinging to a tired standard, they are able to conquer a range of music with grace and style. Some of these songs can be heard in the background of various teen dramas on television now (such as "The O.C." or "One Tree Hill"), while other tracks range from folk to Beach Boys era surf-rock.
In this wide range of genres, Roberts utilizes his voice to draw everything together. The 22-year-old has been writing songs since age 13 (a topic he mentions in the song "Broken Man"), but these are no three-chord punk songs with halfway thought-out lyrics. The deep honesty and accessibility with which he tells stories engages and charms listeners, and Seth's thoughts seem to stream straight out of his head and into one's ear. His lyrics carry a simple grace about them, with both well-written sentences and incomplete thoughts coming together to form songs that seem to speak what is impossible to say.
Overall, the album is well-done, artfully crafted and highly enjoyable. This does not mean it is without faults, however, and while Roberts' voice is powerful and moving, there are moments on the album where he pushes them a little too far, reaching into the raspy region. Yet even in these moments there is a certain charm to the imperfection.
Another questionable decision was the inclusion of "All of Me," the 10th track on the album, which was recorded back in 2002 when Watashi Wa had a few different members. Musically, it fits on the album because the record is fairly diverse, but it also appeared on "The Love of Life," so its inclusion here is somewhat odd.
"Eager Seas" moves from great song to great song, but standout tracks on the album will depend on who the listeners are and where their musical tastes lie. Tracks like "Free Ride" and "All That I Can't Keep" will appeal to fans of Anberlin or The Juliana Theory, while "The Game" and "2:57" could have come from records by Mae, Waking Ashland or Copeland. If you did not care for Bright Eyes' "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning," then you probably will not listen to the track "Father, Son" too much, which features chorus backing vocals, handclaps, and an accordion melting together to create a folk song that should be sung with friends around a campfire.
The album is a fitting finale for a great band that has come a long way musically, and Watashi Wa should be proud to bow out with this release.
My verdict: buy this one quickly and listen to it often, as it has a song for every mood.
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