Broadside — Into The Raging Sea (7/24/20)
This is my second album with this pop-rock band out of Virginia. I remember being pretty impressed with the band’s emotional and melodic sound on their 2017 sophomore. I came away from that album with “Laps Around a Picture Frame” as a new staple in the genre.
This is my genre. I listen to more emo/pop-rock than anything else, and I consistently find new gems. Unfortunately, the thing I’ve found with a lot of pop-rock over the years is that it’s extremely rare to find an album that can keep my interest from start to finish. Aaaand, that’s exactly the case with Into The Raging Sea.
These guys have a wonderful sound. Polished and heavy instrumentation with a vocalist that performs with this almost fragile strength. There’s a slight tremble to his delivery at moments and his aching vocals make him one of my favourites in the genre.
There are a few absolutely stellar songs on this and a good chunk of songs I will never listen to again. Big surprise, it’s the singles that supply the biggest punch.
I usually like to save the best for last but I’ll address these songs in the order they were released. It just so happens that the lead single “Foolish Believer” is the album’s highest achievement. Hell, it’s one of the year’s greatest songs.
At least it’s one that I’ve had some of the most fun with. I’ll say it again and again, that I’m a sucker for a strong sing-a-long, and this one has me singing to every word. It’s pure angst and the feeling in vocalist Ollie Baxxter’s performance really resonates with me. It also pulls off the old instrumental cut-away into a drop-in hook for the second and third choruses, and it is delicious.
They released the second single “The Raging Sea” in May. The song opens the album with a slow moody guitar and continues the slow pace for the chunk of it. It gives you a good taste of Baxxter’s almost soulful delivery. His smooth voice rides the lyrics in this kind of wavy manner that I find helps him stand apart.
In the song’s final minute everything comes crashing down for one of the album’s heaviest moments. It almost breaches into screamo territory as Baxxter adds some real bite to his delivery. It’s super emo and self-demoralizing as he questions if it’s even worth it to try and fight his way out of the mess he’s in.
Can I make it out? Will I make it out?
Is there any point? What’s the fucking point?
They took a more positive love-song approach with the third single “Heavenly.” It takes a bit of a grungey verse and crashes into an inspiring anthemic chorus. Some great guitar licks, crunching bass, and a fiery performance from Baxxter make this another pop-rock staple.
So, good job, Broadside, your single game is strong. Unfortunatley, the album as a whole is a little flat.
It’s a sound I love so it’s not like I have much trouble tapping my feet to this stuff. There’s just not enough excitement and originality to be found.
“Nights Alone” is super catchy and one of the poppier cuts. “Dancing on the Ceiling (With You)” has a solid punchy beat and an off-your-feet chorus. “Breathe You In” has a bit of a dazzling hook with some added keys and it can definitely get me singing along.
I try to imagine myself as a 17-year-old and this being one of the first pop-rock albums I’ve ever heard. Maybe I’d love these songs the same way I loved the stuff I actually was listening to at that age. That time is long gone though and I’ve heard way too many songs in the genre for tracks like the ones I just mentioned to really leave a mark.
Songs like “Clarity,” “Seasons,” and “The Setting Sun” can be tossed in with those previously mentioned. Honestly, they’ve got solid structures and I can feel the good in them but they ultimately slip through my grasp.
They close the album with the piano ballad that is “Burning at Both Ends.” It’s a pretty tragic song that has Baxxter saying goodbye to someone very close to him that appears to have done him wrong.
Goodbye, my dearest friend
And wherever this light may take us in the end
And as hard as it is to admit
I forgive you
And I wish you the best
The lyrics sting but there’s just not much else about it that has me resonating with the feeling.
There’s one song that I’ve left unmentioned and it’s the one non-single that will have me coming back. “Overdramatic” is really nothing wildly exceptional compared to some of this other stuff. It simply comes down to the infectiousness of the hook.
It holds all the familiarities of what I would expect in an angsty pop-rock song but they’re able to keep me invested with that sing-a-long appeal. The lines, “You’re caught up, and I get it/Don’t be so overdramatic,” ring through with such a sticky catchiness that keeps me coming back for more.
