Lakes - The Agreement Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: September 3, 2010
In the movie "The Blind Side", Sandra Bullock narrates a story about why the left tackle position on the offensive line is worth so much to a professional football team. The quarterback is usually the highest-paid player on a team and the most devastating to lose when injured. Most quarterbacks are right-handed, so the left tackle is the player that blocks for a quarterback's "blind side", or the area of the field where the quarterback can't see when he's looking to complete a pass. When a quarterback takes a vicious sack from his most vulnerable side, it can often rattle him or lead to devastating injury.
It isn't often that I am completely blindsided by a new release, but Lakes' The Agreement hit me like a sack of bricks. Following a pattern that has turned into something to expect throughout 2010, Seth Roberts and company have released a beautifully crafted record from a band that I previously had not listened to. Harking to the best of oldie rock and roll bands with a self-aware indie rock ambience, The Agreement lacks nothing in the instrumental department.
Lyrically, Roberts (formerly of Watashi Wa), gives a dose of real-life sadness with a dash of happiness thrown in for taste. The album starts out brisk with opener "Broadlyn". Both an accurate introduction to Lakes' sound and a standout track on The Agreement, "Broadlyn" gets listeners interested right from the outset. Now that you're paying attention, Lakes hit you with a splendid double-shot of continued cheerfulness. Perhaps the best track on the album, "The Heart Is An Anchor", is about being in love and the emotions that come with it. The song is highlighted by its gang-vocal bridge and leads into the quirky "Oh, Lovely". The perfect complement to its predecessor, this song tells upbeat stories of the things that you do with that special someone.
The Agreement then hits a more serious emotional stance, with "The Feeling" showcasing melancholy lyrics guised by an upbeat rhythm. "Back In Your Head" has a more grandiose vibe with its sweeping chorus, a contrast to "Sweet Dream", which slowly plucks its way along. This album is one that perhaps deserves a track-by-track review, but if I mention every song, then not many would get to the end. While you might not read my entire review, hopefully you listen to enough of The Agreement to reach "It's You, It's Me". An emotional high on the record, Roberts forces you to fall in love with his voice if you haven't already.
The tempo slows down as we reach the end of the album's 14 tracks and 51 minute runtime, but Lakes never lose their charm. Every pulsing note on this record, every pluck of an acoustic guitar string or thump of a bass drum, feels like it is right where it belongs. The craftsmanship of the instrumentation on The Agreement will make music critics' ears smile, as songs like "The Tree" have every imaginable intangible and every necessary crescendo. At the same time, Roberts' voice and the accompanying musicianship of Jeremy Wells, Justin Sears, Matthew Covington, and Jacob Wick are accessible enough to please even the most casual of listeners.
The Agreement is made for your headphones, late at night in bed, or your car stereo, driving down a dark road with your thoughts. Lakes put all they had into this record, as every song is accompanied by a nearly audible passion. It deserves not only your time and dollar, but your very vulnerability. You'll never see it coming.
Readers will notice that my normal "Download These First" section has been replaced by a "Follow Me on Twitter" section. Mainly because I think that people should buy these albums instead of downloading songs off of Limewire or something. Do people still use Limewire? I doubt it. I haven't downloaded a record or a song like that in a pretty long while so I guess I'm not in-tune with it. It's also due to the fact that I'm in a mid-life Twitter crisis and I've decided that I need more followers.
Anyways, album is top ten of 2010 for me right now. Please listen to it and share this review or the record with your friends...anything to get this band some exposure.
Also, credit to aradiantsunrise for the rivers and oceans part of my RIYL.
Fantastic album. Been playing it over and over and over. Need it on vinyl. Need a US tour.
I highly encourage everyone to check this album out. These guys might not generate attention like Anberlin, Valencia, and The Graduate have been lately, but by all means this is just as solid a release, if not more so.
Fantastic album. Been playing it over and over and over. Need it on vinyl. Need a US tour.
I highly encourage everyone to check this album out. These guys might not generate attention like Anberlin, Valencia, and The Graduate have been lately, but by all means this is just as solid a release, if not more so.
if you ever get the chance to see these guys live, do yourself a favor and go. they are not to be missed. i was at the cd release show a few nights ago and i was blown away. i've seen them a lot because they all happen to be friends of mine, but that performance was by far the best i've seen in a long time.
Hmm. Interesting bout of bold name syndrome. Whatever, I just came in here because I have missed Lakes. That EP was gold, Jerry - gold! Very excited to hear the progression here. Seth is a truly underrated talent.
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