Review: The Walters’ “Songs for Dads”

by Elizabeth

Chicago is burgeoning with up and coming rock bands, almost all of which have unmistakable retro influences but overall distinct - and most importantly new – sounds. Not least among them is the Walters.

Photo from thewalters.bandcamp.com

Word around town is that the Walters have harmonies that the Beach Boys can’t touch – and there definitely is some lovely vocal blending going on – but I think it’s important to reassure that this is not one of those bands that’s rehashing classic pop rock tunes with barely a hint of originality to be found. No, I love the retro vibes conjured up by the Walters, but what initially caught my attention and kept me binge listening for three weeks straight was that indescribable magic of “a new sound.”

Like many other Walters fans, my first encounter with the band was “I Love You So,” a track that sweetly drifts to a catchy-as-hell chorus that you’d be hard pressed not to move to. It’s the first tune on the band’s premier EP, Songs for Dads, released in November 2014. A listen to the lyrics will reveal an important insight into the band – much of their appeal comes from their contradictions. In the same way that they’re described as laid-back and yet put on wild live shows, their lyrics often swing between honeyed declarations of love and bad-boy warnings that “I’m going to pack my things and leave you behind.” I wonder if these five self-proclaimed hunks knew that this was the perfect recipe to get us ladies daydreaming about the men behind the music. Probably.

Luke Olson, lead vocalist on “I Love You So,” croons with a touch of twang, not really to a country western effect, but rather with the kind of lilt that might enter your voice when delivering an endearment. It’s a distinct voice, one that you’d quickly recognize even on a new song, and that’s half the battle, isn’t it? It’s just one more aspect of their music that can’t easily be brushed aside or deemed unexceptional.

Michael Tirabassi takes over lead vocals on two of Songs for Dads’ six tracks: “New Girl (Tom’s Song)” and “What’s Left.” “New Girl” holds the esteemed position of my favorite track on the EP (though please don’t expect the same answer from me tomorrow). It’s the Eagles’ “New Kid in Town” from the other perspective. Instead of watching the girl run into someone else’s arms, he’ll be doing the leaving. However, breaking up his hard to do and the new girl isn’t here yet, so they’re sticking together for now. Tirabassi’s voice is smooth and sweet, wrapped in those characteristic harmonies. One of their most upbeat tracks, the guitars on “New Girl” have a bit of Hawaiian flourish along with a ‘60s rock jangle – there’s that Beach Boy’s comparison for you. Tirabassi’s other appearance is on “What’s Left,” a “take me back despite my mistakes” song that’s all saccharine apologies amidst harmonies that take on a touch of doo-wop.

“Fancy Shoes” further displays the band’s range of style, featuring piano and trumpet, as well as some of their strongest lyrics. The ideas expressed aren’t incredibly complex, but they deftly conjure up images of the simple love at the heart of this song. “Let’s go walking in the city tonight. You wear that dress that makes you look so nice, like my dancing shoes. I wore them just for you.” This song is like a Wes Anderson romance – plenty of quirk, a touch of nostalgia and existential crisis, but mostly childlike certainty that love is beautiful.

After giving us some time to bask in the warm glow of Songs for Dads, the Walters released a new single from Canvasback in late June, called “Hunk Beach.” It’s everything that a band at this stage of the game needs: a song that stands apart from their previous work, but still has a distinct sound that I’ve already come to think of as Walters-esque. That sound includes Luke Olson’s tremory vocals, beachy guitars and, of course, dreamy harmonies. This time, though, we’ve got a little more intensity, which in the past was reserved for live shows but didn’t come through in recordings. They still wobble between sweet and corrupt (“I’m in the back room with this girl/She’s not like you.”) but ultimately always return to dreamy and genuine (“If you stick around with me I’ll show you/that everything’s fine/We’ll be okay.”)

Alright Walters, we’re ready a full album anytime you are!