Whet
General
| Oct 2017
Reviews
Francis D
Reviewed 2017-10-22
Reviewed 2017-10-22
“Whet” Lucas Oswald
Alternative rock and dream pop-rock from long-time multi-instrumentalist and vocalist with the band, Shearwater. Oswald has also been a contributor to The Appleseed Cast, Old Canes and many other bands. “Whet” is his second solo release. The word means “sharpen,” as in what one would do to a blade or tool, and there are plenty of “sharp, abrasive sounds” among the tracks — blended with “washy/reverby textures” more descriptive of whet’s homophone “wet.” The songs range from dense, dreamy and noisy to driving alt rock — with a couple of strummy melodic tracks thrown in. RIYL: Shearwater, Turnover, Ryan Adams, Manchester Orchestra.
— Francis
Recommended: 2, 3, 1, 8. No FCCs detected.
1. (4:49) I Believe in Trying – Noisy, drifting dream pop-rock. Gets especially noisy in the lead break. Lots of reverb and guitar washes — intermixed with some fingerpicked sections. ***
2. (4:14) Dark on Us – Driving alt rock. Harmonized lead vocals. A variety of layers of sound. Nice tempo changes. Bells. The 1st single, I think. ****
3. (3:45) A Long, Long Year – Mid-tempo, strummy and melodic. Lighter and positive feeling. Glockenspiel. Awesome fuzzy guitar in lead break. ***
4. (6:11) Open Me Up – Ghostly and mysterious. Swirling effects. Processed vocals. Deliberate beat. Twinkling synths. Clock-like effects in 2nd lead break.
5. (4:01) Colors That I Like – Airy, atmospheric and swinging. Breathy vocals over a steady beat. Vibraphone provides foundation, I think.
6. (5:10) Starving – March-like rhythm overlaid with feedback and many layers of sound. Yearning, liquid vocals. The third of three tracks recommended by the record company, but I didn’t like it as much as the four I’ve starred. Worth a listen.
7. (5:23) Feel It Again – Big washes over reverbed dreamy vocals. Song is in 3/4 time. Builds to cacophony of vocals and guitars at the end.
8. (3:33) Passenger – Simple, strummy and acoustic. Transitions to a throwback love song from another era…perhaps the 1970s. Nice duet with Rae Fitzgerald. Rich guitar solo in the lead break. ***
Alternative rock and dream pop-rock from long-time multi-instrumentalist and vocalist with the band, Shearwater. Oswald has also been a contributor to The Appleseed Cast, Old Canes and many other bands. “Whet” is his second solo release. The word means “sharpen,” as in what one would do to a blade or tool, and there are plenty of “sharp, abrasive sounds” among the tracks — blended with “washy/reverby textures” more descriptive of whet’s homophone “wet.” The songs range from dense, dreamy and noisy to driving alt rock — with a couple of strummy melodic tracks thrown in. RIYL: Shearwater, Turnover, Ryan Adams, Manchester Orchestra.
— Francis
Recommended: 2, 3, 1, 8. No FCCs detected.
1. (4:49) I Believe in Trying – Noisy, drifting dream pop-rock. Gets especially noisy in the lead break. Lots of reverb and guitar washes — intermixed with some fingerpicked sections. ***
2. (4:14) Dark on Us – Driving alt rock. Harmonized lead vocals. A variety of layers of sound. Nice tempo changes. Bells. The 1st single, I think. ****
3. (3:45) A Long, Long Year – Mid-tempo, strummy and melodic. Lighter and positive feeling. Glockenspiel. Awesome fuzzy guitar in lead break. ***
4. (6:11) Open Me Up – Ghostly and mysterious. Swirling effects. Processed vocals. Deliberate beat. Twinkling synths. Clock-like effects in 2nd lead break.
5. (4:01) Colors That I Like – Airy, atmospheric and swinging. Breathy vocals over a steady beat. Vibraphone provides foundation, I think.
6. (5:10) Starving – March-like rhythm overlaid with feedback and many layers of sound. Yearning, liquid vocals. The third of three tracks recommended by the record company, but I didn’t like it as much as the four I’ve starred. Worth a listen.
7. (5:23) Feel It Again – Big washes over reverbed dreamy vocals. Song is in 3/4 time. Builds to cacophony of vocals and guitars at the end.
8. (3:33) Passenger – Simple, strummy and acoustic. Transitions to a throwback love song from another era…perhaps the 1970s. Nice duet with Rae Fitzgerald. Rich guitar solo in the lead break. ***
Recent airplay
Dark On Us
Partially A Drivetime (rebroadcast from Nov 20, 2017) — Aug 03, 2021
Open Me Up
Music Casserole — Jan 13, 2018
Dark On Us
Primarily A — Jan 11, 2018
Dark On Us
Predominantly A — Jan 04, 2018
Dark On Us
Predominantly A — Jan 02, 2018
Dark On Us
Totally A — Jan 01, 2018
Charting
2017-10-29 — 2017-12-31
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Dec 31 | 2 |
| Dec 24 | 1 |
| Dec 17 | 2 |
| Dec 10 | 2 |
| Dec 3 | 2 |
| Nov 26 | 2 |
| Nov 19 | 2 |
| Nov 12 | 2 |
Track listing
| 1. | I Believe In Trying | ||
| 2. | Dark On Us | ||
| 3. | A Long, Long Year | ||
| 4. | Open Me Up | ||
| 5. | Colors That I Like | ||
| 6. | Starving | ||
| 7. | Feel It Again | ||
| 8. | Passenger |