This may be coming from a slightly biased perspective, as my inferiority complex and plummeting self-esteem have been raging like Siamese fighting fish lately, but Days Away has got to be one of the most upbeat bands I�ve heard in a really long time. Mapping An Invisible World is less an album with an insanely elevating vibe than it is an experience that�s overflowing with a need to share absolute adoration through sparklingly composed melodies. I could come up with a thousand ways to tell you how Days Away wants to make me dance through an eternity of daffodils, but you�re probably here for a review of the actual CD. So.
Listening to a Days Away song is soothing, relaxing, and just overall smile-inspiring�not unlike being bundled up in a fluffy blanket and given your favorite hot drink in a huge mug. In the same respect, though, the blanket and the cocoa get too warm for comfort all too quickly. This isn�t to say that the album is the kind you can only listen to once. But it�s the kind you can only listen to when you�re really in the mood for it and aren�t likely to notice that all the songs sound the same after a while. The band identifies itself from the same-old-same-old through the infectious feel-good pulse in every song, but that same style seems to distort the lines between each individual piece of work. The tracks blend into a homogenous enlightening mass, and while it�s great during extreme depression, it�s rather depressing itself on an ordinary day. Happy music�saddening? Yes. I�d be listening to this album all day and all night if it had a touch more variety� just something to distinguish Days Away within its occasionally monochromatic self. If you, however, feel in the mood for that sort of thing at the moment, let me give you an idea of what to expect.
While usually the vocals are the dominating force in a band, Days Away balances each instrument perfectly. The guitars, bass, keyboard, and drums seem to sing as loudly and articulate as crisply as the vocalist, who certainly isn�t one to be overlooked. It�s no mistake that each track beautifully showcases Keith�s impressive range. His voice plays an enormous part in taking Days Away one step up from �driving� to �light-shattering.� Tim rivals heartbeats in his precision and force, and Matt and Chris (Keith, too, doubling up on guitar) twist senses in their harmonies. Bryan�s contribution on the keyboard only enhances the band�s deep and layered sound instead of detracting, making for a veritable rainbow of carefully woven skill and devotion.
All in all, buying (or at least listening to) Mapping An Invisible World isn�t a bad choice. You�ll probably want to change your socks more often than you listen to the whole thing through, but Days Away has got a lot of love to share, and it never hurts to take a dose of that every once in a while.
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A.A. '05 |
