The solid full-length is a decidedly rare bird. In fact, it's always been a bit of phoenix, occasionally rising from the ashes of a mediocre musical landscape. Even the Stones had bad days. However, there are those select records, dog-eared LPs and well-worn albums that powerfully resonate with us. They remind us of specific moments, good and bad; they transport us. We start on track one and let it ride until the very last note. No skipping. Eventually those records get pushed aside, as we search for the next great LP. Like running into an old friend, those favorite records resurface, welcoming us back in their warm, familiar embrace, as if you never skipped a proverbial beat. Rest, the 2007 release by Cleveland's The Dreadful Yawns is one of those records.
Led by Ben Gmetro, the album is a fantastically reverential neo-country folk masterpiece. The shuffle rhythm of the opening "You've Been Recorded" provides the gentle lilt over which Gmetro's chorus of "all your life/all you see/all your plans/all your dreams/have been recorded" breezily flows. The depth of the album suggests that many experiences were recorded for Rest. "Changing States'" finger-picked electric guitars, strings, brushed drums and hushed vocals will find favor in fans of Elliot Smith and Nick Drake. "When I Lost Myself", a pedal steel–driven and harmony-laden romp, rounds out the Flying Burrito Brothers-inspired twang and Sweetheart of the Rodeo–era Byrds trio of tracks that introduce the record. It's emotionally versatile songwriting, working as the background to an idyllic road trip or the soundtrack to a contemplative night alone. Clocking in at more than seven minutes, "Candles" has a dream pop quality that echoes Mazzy Star's more countrified efforts, with flashes of the Stone's "No Expectations" in the mix. The Parsons reverence shines on the true-to-the-orginal cover of "November Nights". The second half of the album veers off into more psychedelic territory with the John Cale Vintage Violence meets Mercury Rev Deserter's Songs–esque sounds of "We Go Up" and "End of Summer". It's the sound of a band that's at the top of its game, paying homage to those people and places that inspired them, and following with introspective and unique flourishes that'll influence future generations. All without skipping a track. Or beat.
The Dreadful Yawns will play Rest in its entirety on Friday, May 28 at the Beachland Tavern. Tickets are $5. Buy the album from Cleveland-based Exit Stencil Recordings here.
LISTEN: Dreadful Yawns – "When I Lost My Voice"
/media/Music/May/When I Lost My Voice.mp3
