Search - Wheat :: Hope & Adams

Wheat, everything including the husk

Wickerlove | Canada | 03/18/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Remember in chemistry class when a liquid would slightly change it's colors? With the musical formula slightly changing with each song, that's the sense I get with this CD. 'Hope And Adams' is an interesting fusion of indie and roots rock along with neo-psychadelic twists. Overall there's a wispy smokey, almost reflective feeling to Wheat's music, with this uncanny ability to maintain it considering their wide range of influences. The first half seems to straddle adult-contemporary rock and the experimental country-tinged flavor of Wilco. The second half tends to explore a bit, going from the moody soundscapes of My Morning Jacket/The Eagles and unconventional marching rhythms, to Dandy Warhols-type power-pop and acoustic ballads. The lead vocals also seem to transform a bit, shifting from a predominantly Johnny Rzeznik croon to Wayne Coyne and Don Henley. Diverse as 'Hope And Adams' is, if there's a common thread that strings all the songs together, it's a bit of subtle The Flaming Lips trickery, from quirky studio sounds to strings, organs, and piano. A metamorphosis of song-writing, this album is really a pleasing listen, lush, with cohesive well-crafted songs."