Waterparks – Airplane Conversations
Album Review by Heather Phillips
Hailing from the Houston area, newcomers Waterparks have dropped their debut EP “Airplane Conversations” that is sure to have people
buzzing. Released on April 3rd this album could possibly be the push needed to get the Houston music scene back on its feet and hopefully get the rest of the world to notice Waterparks.
Although the album may be new, the 3 piece are no strangers to music. Each member came from different bands in the past and formed together to give birth to Waterparks.
The EP starts off right away on an upbeat with the song “Silver”. Lead singer, Awsten Knight brings an opening to the EP with the words “I’ll be the silver lining around your fence”, sweet, but this is far more than some sort of cheesy pop love song. Even though it does have those undertones, the guitar, drums and addition backing vocals, done by bassist Gage Matthieu, piece it together to make it so much more than that. Complete with a keyboard solo, this opening track packs a punch and leaves the listener wanting to hear more.
“Bones of ‘92”comes next on the album and is a solid track; a simple, yet still high energy song that ties in well with the rest of the album. Vocalist Knight pleads “Just promise that you won’t forget about me” and after taking a listen to this song and the rest of the album it’s very doubtful that any listener will be forgetting about them any time soon.
The 3rd song, “I Was Hiding Under Your Porch Because I Love You”, was the first full length song the band released to the public. This song is a classic case of having a chorus that is infectious enough to get stuck in your head for days and never leave. Claps and group vocals just add even more to the catchiness of this song. Although the song title may be ripped from a children’s movie, this song is anything but childish.
Next we move into the track “They All Float”, probably my personal favorite on the EP. It’s one of those songs that just feels empowering from the beginning and reminds me of the music I grew up with in high school. To me it is (dare I say?) reminiscent of old school Taking Back Sunday or Brand New. A pretty huge comparison, I know, but this song just feels like something that would have fit right in with that type of music. Throughout the song we hear Knight proclaiming “I’m all ears” and at this point the listener is bound to be as well.
The EP finishes up with the song “Fantastic”, which the title basically says it all on its own. This song is a little different from the rest on the EP, not as high paced but at the same time it fits in perfectly. For anyone that’s ever contemplated where they were going in life, this song is extremely relatable. It is about having a dream and wanting for it so badly to come true in a world that seems so repetitive. It offers a glimmer of hope to those who strive to achieve what they want in this fast paced world where sometimes it feels impossible to be able to make a difference.
“Airplane Conversations” is a refreshing kick to the hum drum music scene. To me, it is reminiscent of the music I grew up with and loved without ripping it off completely. The name Waterparks might seem like all fun and games but these guys are here for some serious business. Everything about this EP is catchy and not overproduced. It’s something that you can just imagine blasting in your car with the windows down in total rock mode. Waterparks may be an unfamiliar name to those outside of the Houston area but “Airplane Conversations” is sure to turn the heads of others and set this band off into the right direction.
Overall rating: 5/5
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/waterparks
