So here is my review of WHITEWAITS “An Elegant Exit”
“An Elegant Exit” takes you on a musical journey. It evokes a wide range of emotions. After I finished listening to the album the first time, my first thought was “Wow!” And I was crying. I've never had that kind of a strong emotional reaction to an album before. You can tell that Rob really poured his heart and soul into making this album. It’s deeply personal and full of raw emotion. You can hear it in his voice. You can feel it in your soul.
I've always been a big lyrics person. That's what I focus on first whenever I hear a new song. Rob's lyrics have always touched my soul. I’ve always found comfort in them. I've said this before, that his lyrics have a way of putting my feelings into words when I just can't do it. This album is no different. The lyrics are meaningful, thoughtful, and sometimes heart wrenching. They’re so descriptive and powerful. They're about something. So many of his lyrics have a wisdom to them that can only come from experience - from someone who has been there.
I absolutely love Rob’s voice and it is just incredible on this album. Not that it’s not incredible on his other albums, but I think he sounds better than ever on this one. His voice is very rich and full. The vocals are clean and clear and not over-processed. And they stand out perfectly against the music. They’re not buried under the mix like I hear so often with other music. Excellent production and mixing.
The music itself plays such an important part in evoking all those emotions I was talking about earlier. Rob’s melodies are always so perfect. They stick in your head. In a good way. Not in that annoying way when you get a song stuck in your head and it drives you nuts. It always amazes me how one person can write so many songs, yet each one is so different. There are so many layers of sound with so many different textures. It’s the perfect mix of acoustic and electric guitar and Rob’s assortment of analog synths. There are all sorts of really cool sounds to keep your ears busy. I really appreciate that attention to detail. Maybe it comes from my background in audio production, but I just love extra little touches like that. And as always, it's much better when listened to with good quality headphones.
You really need to listen to the whole album straight through in order to get the feel of it. It takes you on a journey. It tells a story. I can't quite put what it is into words, but if you listen to it and really try to feel it, you'll get it. Listen with your soul. You'll feel it.
If I had to list the songs in order of favorites, I don't think I could. They are all equally great. I tried to arrange them in some kind of order from favorite to least favorite, but I just couldn't do it. And really, there is no such thing as "least favorite" when it comes to any of Rob's music. They are all favorites. There's something different that I love about each song.
Island is a great way to start off the album, and it’s also the first single. If you read my interview with Rob, you know that it was inspired by a trip he took to Iceland. Knowing this, you can totally see it when you listen to the song. There are supposed to be remixes coming soon. I can’t wait to hear them!
I love Hope Is The Hardest. Even though I was pretty disappointed by the bad language, (2 little f-bombs) it is still a great song. The last line is one of those that just gets to me; makes me cry. "You're not alone so hang on to hope my dear." That was just what I needed to hear the first time I heard it. And this track features some excellent drum programming.
Always is the sweetest, most beautiful song I’ve heard in a long time. It just might be pushing “Alone” out of its almost 20 year position as my all-time favorite song. If this had been around 14 years ago, it probably would have been our wedding song. “…please be with me always, especially on dark days when I might lose my mind.” Gorgeous.
Blackbird Spies - I absolutely adore this song. It became one of my favorites the second I heard it. I love the melody. It just makes me smile. And Rob sounds extra amazing on this one.
The Way Back is probably one of the catchiest songs I've heard in a long time. It’s energetic and upbeat. The lyrics are great. The vocals are great. It makes me want to dance around the house like a dork. It seems to me that it would be very radio-friendly. If I was programming a radio station, I’d play it. (Although, duh, you know I’d play all of them!)
Two of the most upbeat songs on the album lead into what is probably one of the saddest, most heartbreaking songs I've ever heard, Ventolin. If you know Rob's story, you will understand what this song is about. The last line, "You killed me too," produces chills and tears every time I hear it.
Down - The vocals on this one are amazing. There's so much going on. Lots of different layers. I love listening to it loud! It’s about breaking it all down and starting over. “Let go, embrace the beginning again...”
Lost Boys is a little sad at first, but leaves you feeling hopeful at the end. It’s the perfect way to end a perfect album. “I once had the thought I was lost, but I lost it somehow.”
My only complaint about this album is that it's just not long enough. It’s only 33 minutes. It's over too fast. It always leaves me wanting more at the end. I usually listen to it 2 or 3 times in a row just to feel like I’m getting enough. But hey, if that’s my only complaint, it must be pretty good, right?
“An Elegant Exit” has already made an elegant entrance into my heart. It became a favorite the first time I listened to it. Rob Rowe has proven again that he is truly a gifted and talented musician. There’s something really special about his music. I hope this review helps people to realize that.
