Backwards Dancer
Backwards Dancer
(Equal Vision Records)
Backwards Dancer pack a gratifying punch in their debut full length. The self-titled makes a statement and it flows rather naturally, giving the impression that this is the very record the band wanted to create and without it, there just is no Backwards Dancer. As with most of the Equal Vision Records lineup, the art in the sonic palette expresses more and more with every listen; adding more emotion to latch onto over time. It’s alternative rock that is spiced with gut wrenching passion.
The powerful soundscape of Backwards Dancer showcases the powerful orchestration of the band’s songwriting. It trudges like the very character of the ghosts lurking in the darkness. Each song won’t race to the end, rather allowing for builds to make their impacts with buzzing explosions. The guitar chords are loud, suffocating the rest of the air save for the space the vocals can soar with grueling metaphors. Evidence is the opening of the record “Airy.” With a rather grim opening, the record continues with assaults; gnawing at the listeners ear with a song like “Forever.”
The softer songs still have room to access the raw spirit of the record, offering spaces to breathe before crashing with the loud. It’s a dichotomy used well in the song “I Saw Your Spirit.” Where Backwards Dancer seem to shine the most is creating an atmosphere that offers introspection, created artistically with “Breathe Life Into Beauty” and “The Radio.” With the pop sensibilities in the hooks, the songs are easier to wrap around, coexisting as a song and an exact moment to offer reprieve.
Where this record shines in its power, it can fault with the length. Songs can take a bit longer to complete, spiraling through sections that take a while to find a conclusion. It’s an album that rushes out of the gate with power, but continues to drag itself in the same way. Across Backwards Dancer are syncopated parts that never bounce past the monotonous grip on reality. “While The World Is Waiting” is an example of this. The song’s depth uncovers plenty to feel, but it sulks more than it bites. It leads into a ballad to finish the record, as many have done, but “(Blank)” has a lyrical brevity that grasps a few different layers of emotions.
