Uncovered—the new album from The Walrus—features 11 new songs written by Walrus members. The new songs evoke and combine the melodic harmonies of the 1960s and the psychedelic musical arrangements of the '70s with present day inspiration and modern recording techniques.
Of the 11 original songs on "Uncovered," seven are written by lead guitarist and vocalist Joe Young, a prolific singer-songwriter; two are by singer and guitarist Chuck Dingée; and another two are written by vocalist and keyboard player Jamie Shea. Drummer Michael O'Neal and bass guitarist Walt Burkett provide the backbeat and also sing on the new tracks.
In addition, haunting strains from the violin of the late Guy Mulford, who played at the Walrus' first public gig in 1996, are heard on "Guy's Song," a tribute to the beloved musician who died on Jan. 1, 2001. Mulford's posthumous fiddling is also a tribute to the high-tech recording equipment and talent at Bayside Recording in Bellingham, where the album was produced and recorded over the last two years.
Each of the 11 songs is so different that the debut album defies categorization in a single musical genre and sounds like a "Walrus Greatest Hits" collection. The songs range from "The Garden," inspired by the 1992 New Age novel, Ishmael, and employing Crosby Stills Nash & Young-style harmonies to the deliciously vampy "Tongue in Cheek" to the psychedelic-sounding "Gaia."
The CD is rich with classic rock, pop and folk vocal arrangements; ballads about friends who are like a "Second Family" and about empowerment; screaming electric, acoustic and pedal-steel guitar licks; and love songs about absent as well as cheating lovers. The synergy of original themes and lyrics combined with Sgt. Pepper-inspired rock melodies points to the versatility and experience of Bellingham's rockin' sea mammals.
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