Waves Crashing
Life on Display
We’re going to be showing some love to the PNW and South Sound in the coming weeks, and we’ll kick it off with this great trio from Olympia - Waves Crashing.
There’s something about the bands from the PNW. They’re more ambient and introspective. Their hooks are layered and nuanced - not as direct as you’d find in the Midwest, New England, or the UK. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but I’m a big believer that a band SOUNDS like the place they hail from - and these guys are the perfect example of that. Having lived and gigged in Seattle for several years, I’m bummed I never saw these guys live but I can certainly relate to their sound. If you’re familiar with the work of Steve Fisk, think of Waves Crashing as it Steve Fisk were to produce the Smiths.
The band consists of Josh Calisti on guitars and vocals, Joshua Charette on bass and Bryce Albright on drums. They have released 14 tracks since 2020, with a blend of shoegaze meets 80’s and 90’s Alternative. They’ve been fortunate enough to get spins on KEXP out of Seattle (one of the most influential independent stations in the country) and play some of the bigger festivals in their area. They’ve been through some recent lineup changes, but have found solid ground with this latest track, “Life on Display.” Here’s my review.
Bass and drums kick us off in C minor at about 88 BPM, and right away I’m in love with the bass tone. Clean, well rounded, and dripping with what must be a chorus effect. Absolutely love the passing tones in the upper register riff (nice pick usage!) that sets up the entrance of the guitars after the first 8 bars. When the guitars drop, the bowl you over with a wash of reverb and vibrato and great note choice. This is what the PNW and Thurston County feel like in the winter time - thick and clear at the same time - mystifying and precise, all at once.
With the first verse, Josh makes a cool decision to keep the melody low and tight to the arrangement, letting the guitars do all the heavy lifting. Great sonic choice. His vocal delivery is soft, but assured. Nothing here is forced. With the first chorus, there’s a slight change in chord progression, but he keeps the melody low - in perfect sync with the feel of the lyrics and rhythmic vibe. I often write about how different sections of songs should be treated like different rooms of a house (nice theory, I suppose), but there are exceptions to every rule. The change here is subtle because they really don’t break any rhythmic strides per se, but the effect is just as strong. The hook is just as prominent and would sound absolutely out of place if sung an octave higher. Note too the subtle changes in guitar tones, he hasn’t gotten dirty, yet.
Prior to the second verse we get a nice little interlude that’s performed in the same vein as the first verse and chorus, and it works quite well. We get a little teaser of a solo too with just the right amount of dirt and lovely phrasing. The first big change happens at 1:59, right before the second verse, with a rhythmic break that reminds me of Stewart Copeland - there’s some lovely sidestick fills and syncopation here that beautifully sets up the chorus, and here comes the distortion! Once again, the heavy lifting is left to the guitars and it works perfectly. Really love the hook - I’m humming along now.
Great little bridge break that is absolutely tribal in its floor tom and bass pattern. This adds a wonderful layer of depth to the composition, and helps keep the tension building. It’s a great springboard for the guitar solo that features solid phrasing and the addition of more layered guitar tones. This leads us back into a heavier third and final chorus that they pull a double-time tag on, before the all stop. I wish it kept going - it brought up a host of great memories from my past and I wanted to keep turning up my speakers.
Absolutely love this track. The bass and drums are simplistic yet solid, they could have shown off but doing so would have made the track too busy. The guitar work and effects are a wonderful example of Shoegaze thought process and Alternative voicings, but most importantly they don’t overpower the song (a credit to the mix, too). Vocal delivery is perfect for the lyrical content - understated, but confident. This is definitely a track I would love to see live - it would be great to see how they pull off the guitar tones.
Make sure you scroll down to get their socials, other tracks and upcoming gigs. They’ll be in Tacoma at the Spanish Ballroom on March 2nd, in Seattle on March 24th, and PDX on April 29th. Congratulations on a great track guys, give my best to the PNW and I hope to see you out here someday soon.
Check it out now!