Waves

An early contender for "ugliest album cover of the year," Waves deserves better. It's refreshing to listen to something both this passionate and this competent.

This is a pretty simple album. Guitars and drums lay down some atmosphere, and a male voice belts out some passionate lyrics. What makes it stand out is just execution--little moments that capture the mind or the heart, such as the first minute of the album, when finger-picked guitar blossoms into a heavy, heartfelt melody, or the triumphant chord at 2:13 in "Tuli."

Honestly, this is barely metal music at all. I think it's more accurate to call it rock. The vocals are clean, apart from some growls on "Tuli," and the lyrics are intelligible

In my first couple listens through the album, I thought the vocals were doing most of the work, and it's true that the vocals are center stage. If you don't like a sad guy singing about his problems, steer clear. But, on subsequent listens, it's clear to me that what makes this album great are the countermelodies provided by the guitars and the piano. On "Numb," the interplay between the vocalist and the guitar is essential to making the whole thing work.

What a pleasant, listenable album. It's not in my top tier, because of his relatively lack of variety or intensity. It doesn't stick in my mind and refuse to get out. But it's an unusually pleasant experience.