Customer Reviews

Whirligig

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If "Whirligig" were released tomorrow, the Caulfields would be instantly embraced by the so-called underground indie-rock multitudes. Sadly, the band has long been defunct after two critically-acclaimed albums, both of which tanked saleswise in the era of Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Hey, all you alterna-teens, if you really want to impress your friends with something they've never heard of, check this out.

There's a hiccup or two, but on the whole a sparkling debut. Some heady lyrical subject matter, too, and fairly diverse. Not a lot of boy/girl songs. This band (particularly on this album) was very lyrics-centered. The musical arrangements are very basic and straightforward, giving the lyrics plenty of space to shine. As simple as it is, the music still tends to be pretty diverse without being distractingly so. No attempted salsa numbers or anything, but pop, folk, rockabilly, & even a bit of punk are thrown into the stew.

I think singer/songwriter John Faye's lyrical goal was to raise both questions and eyebrows. He debates the existance and benevolence of God on both Devil's Diary and Fragile, though each tone differs in tone and amount of personal investment. Devil's Diary, the leadoff track and first single, might offend some of the religiously squeamish with its "Bigger Than Jesus" chorus, though even the thumpiest of bible-thumpers must admit it's pretty damn catchy. The Underwater World of Asia X is definitely worth mentioning here, as Faye spins out grandiose deep-sea metaphors like he's trying to topple the song into silliness himself. He doesn't succeed, but he definitely makes you smile, while giving the song a strong sense of setting.

There's a couple of misses (Awake on Wednesday, All of My Young Life, and Breathe Underwater), but the band's relative youth at this time can be blamed without conscience. I care for this album immensely.

1. 3:39 Devil's Diary

2. 4:36 Awake On Wednesday

3. 2:48 Rickshaw

4. 3:24 Alex Again

5. 4:17 The Day That Came And Went

6. 4:12 Fragile

7. 4:39 All Of My Young Life

8. 2:45 Where Are They Now?

9. 3:12 Hannah, I Locked You Out

10. 3:18 Breathe Under Water

11. 4:00 The Underwater World Of Asia X

12. 2:38 Disease