Album Review: We Are For The Wild Places

A crystal clean acoustic sound that should lift anyone’s spirits is what your ears will be exposed to in this sophomore album by Avalanche City. The creation of Mr Dave Baxter, he has perfected a very radio friendly mainstream sound, the songs have slow and steady beats that flow nicely and provide a very pleasant foundation for his fine tuneful singing. The gentle structure and theme in each song is unfailing and makes the album flow nicely when listening to the album in its entirety. The verses are full of soft melodies that almost caress you through to the uplifting anthem like chorus strains, as best displayed in I Need You and Inside Out.

This music is clearly influenced by the likes of Coldplay and James Blunt and is another example of the preferred young folk pop sound as created by other young kiwi acts, Benny Tipene and Jeremy Redmore. A well rounded sound, there is little variation to the walking rhythms and pleasant keyboard and guitar sound, although there are some nice brass segments in Little Fire and Wild Places. But mostly the album is a continuous supply of very easy on the ear tunes with heartfelt singing and uplifting choruses, nothing wrong with that but I was left wondering how good something a bit faster with a bit more grit would sound? Something to ponder maybe for a third album.

There is no doubt on hearing the songs a second or third time you will join in on the chorus, and there is every chance you will hear some of these songs again, as they are definitive mainstream radio “Hits” as in the popular lead single Inside Out. So check it out, its high quality “world worthy” music and well worth a listen.

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