Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006
Happy Birthday Dockboys! The comic is a big four years old. Just think, if this was a kid, the comic would be potty trained, not sleeping in their parent's bed, and just starting kindergarten. Well, I think Scott still lets the comic sleep with him. He’s an 'ole softie you know . . . Also, I feel it necessary to make two little comments. First, I went to the Calexico show this weekend and it was awesome. Those guys rock the house. Two, there's a new (to me that is, considering she just released her second album) little songstress that's floating around named Regina Spektor. Check her out . . . she sings little quirky love songs that are pretty fun.

Anyway, the album I'll be writing about today is Daylight, Day Break, the new one from Now It’s Overhead. Now It's Overhead is a four person band, consisting of Andy LeMaster, Clay Leverett, Maria Taylor, and Orenda Fink. So, I really had high expectations for this album. I mean, I adore their first two albums. I think they have some of the most innovative musical sound in recent memory. And let us not slight their lyrics, which are incisive and insightful in their own regard.

But really, I'm best at talking about music. And this new album does not disappoint. It has all the typical Now It's Overhead fare, but Andy LeMaster (the main mind of Now It's Overhead) really does make some interesting shake ups in the music. For instance, the third track, Walls, has some interesting musical decisions. The bass line is a slide, giving the music some dynamism rather than a stagnant bass line. Still, the dynamism inherent to a slide manages to give the song a very solid base on which to base everything else. The percussion is typical Now It's Overhead; complex, driving, and impossible to get out of your mind. The delivery of the lyrics is indicative of Cursive's influence, one of Now It's Overhead Saddle Creek label buddies.

The title track is perhaps the strongest track on the album. The programming underneath is top notch. It really sets the stage for Andy LeMaster to vocally excel. Indeed, this is a song where vocals drive the song, which is in some ways atypical for Now It's Overhead and in some aspects, represents a vital step in LeMaster's musical evolution. I think it would be pretty easy to rely on the vocal talents of Orenda Fink and Maria Taylor (by their powers combined as Azure Ray, but with separate careers too), but LeMaster's really taken it on himself to push the band, the mark of a great lead singer.

The last song I want to mention is Nothing In Our Way, the concluding track for Day Light Daybreak. It excels as a conclusion, being a very laid back and contemplative song. And by the end of this ten track album, you could very well be ready for a break. The song begins with the twang of an acoustic guitar, an instrument that is largely overlooked through the myriad of programming and electric percussion throughout this album. Don't worry though, as a percussion beat soon enters the song. It's actually my favorite percussion track on the album. But really, the song just glides through and before you know it, you're at the end of a savory listening experience.

But wait, there's one last thing. There is a little bit of a lull in the album (specifically tracks 4-6), which are certainly not to the quality of the other 7 tracks. It’s those tracks that keep this album from being a five Kool-Aid man album. Instead, it’s going to get the four Kool-Aid man album . . . but no shame in that. For most other artists, it might have gotten five. For great bands, I expect great tracks every time. But to Now It's Overhead, thank you for my new favorite album of the day. You make driving to work at six in the morning worth it. Salud!

Now It's Overhead – Day Light Daybreak

-patrick