Right next Dark Tranquillity, Dream Theater and In Flames, there is an album that doesn't really fit in: "Ulysses" by Current Swell from Victoria, Canada.
Even though this album doesn't blend in, it is this record, that i wanted to wright my first review on. It consists of 12 tracks, from beautiful acoustic ballads to faster paced songs like Rollin', which always gets me excited and longing for another road trip. All four members of the band play a plethora of instruments throughout the album, from guitars to harmonica and glockenspiel. This kind of flexibility really shines through throughout the album - the songs do hit the same overall tone, and yet many of them feel distinct and unique. The lyrics reflect on that, but Current Swell isn't scared hitting you with some darker, heavier lyrics.
The album starts out with the title-track 'Ulysses'. Percussion and acoustic guitar lead the way and form the base of this song. The walking base kicks in at about the halfway point, and it is brilliant. This song really sets you up for what is to come: A kind of easy going, but engaging trip, that Leeds you to a campfire on the beach.
'Keys to the Kingdom' starts very soft and slow, until it gets into a very groovy verse with a nice drum fill. We here the electric guitars for the first time and they do a great job of adding some depth to the sound, without being overly prominent.
'Rollin`' is the song that got me into the band, as it was featured in the mountain bike movie "unReal". Nathan Sabatino plays the drums on this one, and he absolutely rips it. The harmonica really takes over this song, aided by a great off-beat base line, that continues throughout the song. This song is faster paced and more rock-orientated with a somewhat dirty, muddy sound, which is a great fit, especially right towards the chaotic ending of the track.
'One Day I'll be Rich' literally has "Yayayayayayayayayayayayayayayaya" in the lyrics, which is already a big 'W' if you ask me. It is a great song about what being 'careful what it is for which you dream'. Some fun lyrics in a slow moving, mostly acoustic song. Absolutely the standout part in this one is the base line, that is prominent throughout the song, with an electric guitar just laying down some soft chords. 'Bad News' feels very similar, and while it doesn't necessarily bring anything new, it is good listen.
'Who's With Us' is probably my favourite song on the album. The guitar picking with some slides is as simple as it is effective. Together with some higher pitch singing and calm base, it gets you right in the mood. The Drums in the refrain are on point, and from there the songs goes into a great instrumental, with electric guitars playing in the background. The song then builds into the verse with great rhythm and the electric guitars leading the way. After another instrumental, the song reaches its climax and switches to a quiet, toned down ending. The continues building of the drums and the electric guitar feel great and push the song forward and leads you from a very chilled out state into one full of energy and drive.
'Gunshots' is much more serious in tone and lyrics - my best guess is, that it is a song about the Nova Scotia Shooting in 2020.
It sends with a great instrumental, that captures lots of different emotions.
Man of Maps has a great instrumentation which adds a lot of depth to the song: It jumps between some very soft, quiet parts and a thicker sound. The base again is on point and i feel like the use of effects for the electric guitar really fits the song.
'Sideways' is a slow and groovy song and makes work the muddy sound. Again, the Instruments are great and still distinguishable, yet Sideways doesn't add much to the overall style of the album.
The same is somewhat true for 'Desire', although i really enjoy the guitar lead in combination with a driving rhythm. That said, after around 3 minutes the song really picks up and changes the rhythm into an awesome ending with a nice bit of guitar soloing. I deeply enjoy the change of pace and the somewhat chaotic ending.
'We Will Run' fits nicely, and feels very similar to the opening tracks: Great base-work and interesting instrumentation. The same is true for the closing track 'Flesh and Bone' which is a slow and wallowing ending to a great 46min album.
Even though this album doesn't fit the style of music i would usually tend towards, Current Swells Ulysses has found a definite place in my heart. It is the perfect listen for a road trip. Compared to their previous effort, 'Long Time Ago', it seems more focused and streamlined, while still keeping some outliers and a unique sound to most of the songs. Standout tracks for me are Rollin', Who's With Us and Desire, but the album has a great flow throughout. There aren't really any weak points.
Given, that i'm not really familiar with the genre, its hard to recommend anything, but another band that has a similar feel to me would be
The Cat Empire.
