“Now the paragon has poison in his veins.“
One of the simple joys of music is that of discovering new bands, one of these recent ones has been Liverpool-based prog-rock group, Exploring Birdsong. With a solid debut in the form of Ever the Optimist in 2019 that then saw them tour with the likes of Sleep Token and Karnivool, Exploring Birdsong have further developed their piano-lead sound into something fantastic.
Right off the bat on Dancing in the Face of Danger, you can see how vocalist Lynsey Ward wins over her listeners – soothing pop sensibility and a great range. And the composition of the band really allows her vocal style to shine. She is accompanied by lots of piano and bass, acoustic drums and synthesizers. Notably, an electric guitar is missing from that list, but that omission leads to a fresh take on progressive rock. There is a lot going on during each track and it usually combines into a beautiful feat, but I feel that the mastering process buried more than I’d wish, especially when it comes to the programmed drums. This is especially evident in the opening track, “Pyre.” Once the bass picks up pace on the track, it rounds out the mix, I think. Lynsey’s voice also has a bit of a folk tone to it, and I think the EP as a whole shares the same vibe along with the more natural prog-rock elements. The song coming together towards the end is the best example of this mix. The bassline here absolutely slaps, Lynsey’s background vocals are beautiful, and the changeup of the rhythm of the piano is great send-off for the opener.
“The Way Down” is almost a jarring change of sound at the start, as it sounds way more dark and foreboding than “Pyre.” The piano is more methodically added to this track, but its use at the beginning almost reminds me of some city pop tracks. Juxtaposed with the darker themed parts, it makes for a very interesting listen. The back half of the track has some beautiful harmonization layers on the vocal front that nearly reaches level of gospel.
Marking the halfway point comes “Bear the Weight” that doesn’t fully flesh out until it is in its latter half. It then opens up with this chant-like topline as Lynsey’s following verse really ramps up the energy. With the track’s entire scope in view, I can forgive the beginning, but I do find myself anxiously awaiting the back 60%. Then there’s what is essentially an electronic key infused breakdown and it truly encapsulates what is so cool about this project.
There is a book-by-books entrant on “Ever the Optimist” when compared to the rest of the track listing. It still has the bones of the band’s sound, which is good enough for a solid listen, but I can’t help but compare it to the cuts that impress me. That is to say, the closer, “No Longer We Lie”, does not share its predecessor’s issues. I really like the rapid piano keys on here. The beginning, softer ones sound like something you’d hear on RADWIMPS’s recent output. This then evolves into chords that are still fast paced, but contribute a jazzier rhythm. Lynsey gets to do a more varied array of vocal inflections than perhaps any of the other tracks too. The overall composition of the instrumentation is grandiose and epic, and I wish they’d fully commit to a full length project of this tone. For now, I’m happy with this fantastic closer.
Exploring Birdsong is absolutely a band you should have on your radar; they have a fantastic vocalist, an eclectic array of instrumental additions, and that is all delivered in a fashion you won’t hear anywhere else. Dancing in the Face of Danger shows all this come through with a confidence and belief of a group that will surely hit their stride upon its release. Though their sound is rooted in prog-rock, I can’t think of a more accessible band that is adjacent to that style.
8/10
Dancing in the Face of Danger is out this Friday via Long Branch Records, and can be pre-ordered here.