In short, Parachute is captivating. I was humming various songs after my first listen through. It is far more personal than past Parachute albums and it shows the growth the band has taken since their last release.
-
Must Listen
By Erika Kellerman
In a world of uncertainties, Parachute will always be the band to depend on if you need a good cry or to “get in your feelings.” Their versatile pop-rock-gospel-influenced-acoustic guitar-streamlined hits change at the drop of a hat. With their new ten song self-titled album (released via Thirty Tigers), Parachute proves that they can stay true to themselves while also evolving their artistry.
This album is not anthematic and it is not as gospel-influenced as their 2016 release, Wide Awake. Like any artist, no matter how long they have been around, they grow, change, and gravitate towards what they like from their genre and use those elements to craft their sound. This album is personal and much more dependent on vocals and piano and/or acoustic guitar. It’s stripped down in certain aspects, while others are poppier, include 808’s, and could be the type of song remixed at a club.
Frontman, vocalist, and main writer for Parachute, Will Anderson’s silky, yet rugged voice carries over each track, crafted carefully; like he’s reading a page from his journal.
This album is released perfectly for summer. Parachute will be the ballads of a lot of firsts- first crushes, first loves, first breakups, first dates; these firsts have no age limit- this is shown through the first song and the introduction to Parachute’s feel-good pop-rock diary, “Young.” It discusses the side of growing up no one wants to talk about: growing older and dealing with the uncertainty of this newfound chapter. “I’m only good at being young” echoes in the hook. It asks, am I only good at being young? Can I get past this feeling of inadequacy? Can I be a functioning adult? The lead single off of Parachute sets the tone for the rest of the album.
Parachute reflects from Anderson’s point of view. Many of the songs are examples of “what ifs?” What if we didn’t break up? What if we didn’t live thousands of miles apart? What if I treated you better? (On a less serious note, the beginning chords of “Better” had me ready for a “Bye Bye Bye” cover). This theme of reflection and living in the past is repeated throughout the album, a nod to the many regrets he’s had.
Mid-album, the theme flips for a moment, sprinkling in “Finally Got It Right” and “Talk to Me.” They are the sexier, upbeat “Yes, I screwed up before, but I finally realized my mistakes and got a relationship right” moving on tracks. Then, Parachute turns right back around with emo-acoustic “Better.”
“Dance Around It” and “Someday” are two tracks from Parachute that I found myself replaying over and over. The two songs mix the old with the new. “Someday” brings back the gospel influence with stacked harmonies, while “Dance Around It” is a new age, explosive electronic-synth-pop featuring Anderson’s signature falsetto. They’re fun and memorable, both in their own way.
I, for one, am always scared before I listen to new albums by bands I like, which is partly because I’m overly anxious about life and the other half is I’m afraid that I won’t like the new release as much as the rest of their discography. I realize albums aren’t always made to please the fan, it is an expression for the artist. With that, Parachute surpassed my expectations and I was happy to be wrong.
In short, Parachute is captivating. I was humming various songs after my first listen through. It is far more personal than past Parachute albums and it shows the growth the band has taken since their last release.
