Certainly worth a listen

Bodies of Water are a band that you have to listen to a few times to really appreciate their style.

Their sound is like a melting pot of musical genres – gospel, indie, folk, punk, rock, Latin rock, progg, etc. The vibrant-sounding musical instruments and the haunting sound of the singers’ combined vocals put a spin on gospel that is original and definitely gives the band a signature sound.

Their latest album A Certain Feeling, from the Bloomington label Secretly Canadian, is a bit hot and cold at times – one song will be rockin’ and the next will be a little boring; but I think this is an aspect of their sound that is meant to keep the listener wanting more.

Sometimes when a song isn’t initially striking, I skip to the next track on the album; but with A Certain Feeling, such a reflex is a mistake because almost every song is sure to impress at some point. Most of the songs start slow and then build to an incredible climax that is unsurpassable.

The standout track on the album is definitely “Under the Pines,” which is actually the lead single.

The song starts entirely instrumental with a dreary organ that has a Romantic-esque feel to it – as if you’re walking the castle grounds in “Castlevania.”

Then, a hard, powerful guitar riff breaks through balanced with the loud, thumping beat of the bass drum and the faint sound of cymbals in the background. About a minute in, the music gets more upbeat as a tambourine comes in and the drums and guitar kick in a little more; the vocals start harmonizing with the instruments about two minutes in.

Suddenly, the band pumps out a Latin-rock flair that makes you want to salsa.
This is the greatest aspect of the band’s sound – the members’ incredible instrument-playing. Sometimes when a band mixes several instruments – aside from the basic drums, guitar and bass combo – the music gets sloppy and hard to follow, but the band ingeniously uses each instrument carefully – one from every musical family; they have taken a worthwhile risk that is sure to pay off in the long run.

The vocals are definitely different – unlike almost anything I’ve heard before, but once you get past the unusual sound, you’ll start to appreciate both the singing and instruments together.

Bodies of Water are an up-and-coming band to watch out for, and A Certain Feeling is certainly worth a listen.