Album Review: Cydeways serves up something fresh and delicious with a new self-titled album
Photo courtesy of LAW Records.
A great dish is often composed of a variety of flavors that would otherwise conflict if it weren't for the skill and creativity of a talented chef. Music shares this characteristic, especially in the modern age, as the genres that have developed over the past century are now being mixed to create wonderful new songs and releases. On their new full-length album, the American band Cydeways has accomplished exactly that. Blending reggae, pop-punk, hip hop, and alternative rock, Cydeways has created an album that has high energy, moments of calm, and stylistic flow from start to finish.
The self-titled album is introduced by the feel-good reggae hip-hop tune "Gold". The instrumentation pulls much of its breezy vibe from a catchy acoustic guitar riff that belongs somewhere between a Jack Johnson and a Kenny Chesney record. The 16th note swing of the kick in the drum pattern gives "Gold" the groove of a hip hop track, and lead singer Dustin Parks switches between a syncopated flow in the verse and pop-rock singing in the chorus. All of this is pulled together throughout with fun horn section arrangements that flourish in the bridge especially.
The third track on the album is Cydeways' collaboration with Pepper on the reggae-rock anthem "We Won't Run". Dustin told us, "Working with Kaleo from Pepper has always been a bucket list goal for me. I grew up watching Pepper play with Slightly Stoopid for years and Kaleo has also been a huge influence on me. The dude has one of the best voices in the scene! I’ve learned a lot about singing and performing through him." The verse of "We Won't Run" features a heavy reggae beat complimenting Park's lyricism, which then transitions into a heavy chorus featuring Pepper's Kaleo Wassman and hard-hitting distorted guitar riffs.
This album also contains other great collaborations with G. Love & Special Sauce and Surfer Girl. "G Love was another bucket list for me as well. Garret is obviously a huge hip hop fan and so am I. Cydeways started out as a hip hop project so the way he infused it into his own style was always fascinating to me and I’ve been a fan of his for a long time! Surfer Girl just made sense to collab with. We have mutual friends both growing up in Boston and Carter just crushes as a vocalist," says Dustin. The G. Love collaboration "Everything You Need" is a happy jam that makes grey weather outside look a little bit sunnier. The song has a very live feel and the addition of harmonica adds a lot to the overall sound. The track "Take Flight" featuring Surfer Girl is a soulful pop-hop vibe with excellent synth design and drum programming. The trade-off between Dustin and Surfer Girl's vocals was executed very well, and with the collaboration, we've seen between other fellow Boston boys prior to this we're not surprised. The placement of "Take Flight" within the whole album lends itself well for start to finish listening.
One of our favorites on the album is the pop-punk banger "Down" which reminds us of the awesome music of bands like The Story So Far and State Champs. This track was produced by the well-respected pop-punk producer/engineer Kyle Black who has worked with these artists as well. According to Dustin, "The pop-punk influence has always been something I’ve been wanting to add in to the Cydeways sound. I’m a sucker for pop punk! That all comes from blink-182. As far as the whole record goes for influence, there aren’t really any specific artists but I believe I was listening to a lot of Sticky Fingers at the time! One of my favorite bands for sure!" For those unfamiliar with Sticky Fingers we highly recommend checking them out as well, and we can see their influence on this record in the way that it combines a multitude of genres in a way that is unique and energetic while still feeling like it was made somewhere near the ocean.
The final track on the release is the beautiful song "Cool Off". Dustin says, "If I had to narrow it down, my all-time favorite would probably be Cool Off. It’s the very last song on the record that ties it all together. That song hits deep and has the most meaning to it!". Of all the tracks on the record, this one feels the most intimate. Verbed-out guitars and vocal harmonies are layered with spacious synths, all of which have a chill and euphoric effect. Parks shows off his vocal ability and skill as a songwriter on this wonderful tune that wraps up this incredible album perfectly with the words "Cool just like the ocean."
For more info on Cydeways' music and future show dates visit www.cydewaysmusic.com
"Down" is the Daily Reggae Song of the Day.
By Chris Lawrie.
