While they haven't had an excessive amount of releases under their belt, Wavorly has always demonstrated a great degree of care on each and every project. After the band called it quits a few years back, there seemed to be an unfortunate degree of finality to their dissolution. Frontman Dave Stovall had moved on to help prop up Audio Adrenaline 3.0, with most of the other members returning home to focus on family, ministry, and other jobs. It truly was a sad note to end on, as their potential had clearly not been reached. Even ten years after their release of Conquering the Fear of Flight, their songs still hold up and serve to compose what was one of my favorite albums of that year, and one which has only grown on me since.
Earlier this year, the band teased their Facebook and Instagram followers with various pictures, implying that 2017 would see a reunion of some sort. After a rather quick buildup, the band announced a few shows and dropped a new miniature EP featuring two songs, titled Movement One, as well as a lyric video for one of the tracks. Wavorly had built a bit of a reputation for shifting their style in sound with each subsequent release, and Movement One once again sees the band demonstrating a wonderful degree of versatility.
The first piece, titled "Strangers in Love" is an insightful track which explores the complexity of human relationships and the feeling of betrayal upon learning that we don't truly know a person: "I don't know what to think anymore / something's changed between you and me / you're like a leather-bound mystery that's locked in a box / tell me who you are when the lights go dark / it's like we're strangers in love / tell me who you are when you tear my heart apart." Perhaps most fascinating is the long instrumental outro, which harkens back to the conceptual music found on Conquering the Fear of Flight. Previous fans of that aspect will appreciate how well it ties the new music to the old, even in light of a significantly different musical style.
The second track, "Pressure," is a bit of an odd duck. After the first listen, I was unsure of how I felt about the song. By the third listen, it was stuck in my head (in a good way) for the next two days, demanding to be added to nearly half of my personal playlists. Its lyrics are a tad enigmatic, but still enjoyable: "All my life I've been outside the party, I've been stuck on the shelf / I guess I can't depend on nobody, I'll just do it myself / nobody's gonna push us around / we're taking over we are / the ones they warned you about / (nothing's stopping us now) / I can't take the (pressure)." As for its musical style, there is a fun time signature switch, a hearty use of gang vocals, and an effective reliance on the drums and piano. While there is no direct comparison, it doesn't feel too dissimilar from something Mutemath might attempt.
Overall, Movement One is just too short of a teaser. Is it preparing listeners for a potential Movement Two, or even better, a full-length LP? Regardless, it's a great project, and even if it's all that we get, it will have been well-worth the wait. Whether or not you're a previous fan of Wavorly, be sure to give this EP a download and check out these awesome new tracks.
- Review date: 7/23/17, written by David Craft of Jesusfreakhideout.com
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