Said The Whale
hawaiii
Hidden Pony Records
Street: 09.17
Said The Whale = Jason Mraz + The Postelles
Hawaiii is an album that sounds exactly like what you’d expect radio-friendly indie rock to sound like. This means that it’s just as likely that a preteen girl will play their music as it is that your mom will. This also means that the arrangements are nicely done and most of the sounds, vocals or effects sound like something popular you’ve heard before. Closing track, “The Weight Of The Season,” sounds like a blend of a Fleet Foxes and a Bon Iver song. I feel like those references give Said The Wale too much credit, but it also says that nothing from these guys feels original. There’s a market for this band, and they’re finding it in radio airplay. It’s just most likely these songs won’t be remembered next year. –Justin Gallegos