And The Wicked Sea
Minneapolis, MN
Recorded at Shangri La in Lexington, KY
Produced, engineered and mixed by Duane Lundy
Pictures of Then will take you right back through your own pictures of when. And the Wicked Sea will have listeners setting sail with these up-and-comers in no time flat as they take listeners on a reflective journey through true-to-life and simple lyrics pieced together with unpredictable but excellently crafted tunes. The album title is fitting, as it takes musical twists and turns reminiscent of the ever changing sea.
“The Big Sell” is a fun neo-punk rock ditty sprinkled with electronic sounds over playful guitars. This song could single-handedly sell the album, but Pictures of Then has so much more packed into their sophomore release. As “The Big Sell” ends, the album transitions into a sweet and thoughtful ballad, “Nowhere is Somewhere,” which starts off with soft and nostalgic piano and picks up with beautiful vocal harmonies and wistful synth, before steadily evolving into a winsome ode to going “nowhere” with someone special. It’s a sweet song that isn’t overtly sappy. Another breakout song with similarly catchy hooks is “Questions Anyone.”
Pictures of Then takes another unexpected, but smooth turn flirting with electronica on “One Day.” With carefully executed choral-like vocal harmonies and wicked guitar effects, this song is a fantastic rock hymnal. The band then takes yet another turn, proving that they are well adept at composing music that speaks to a diverse crowd with the folk-inspired “Stuck” and the following track, “Ahead.”
“7th Street” is the song that puts the wicked in And the Wicked Sea with its mean hooks and entertaining splices of sound effects over steady guitars and piano. Pictures of Then’s masterful mash-up of folk and rock will no doubt have listeners on board for a voyage. (self-released)
-Tara Lacey
myspace.com/picturesofthen
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