Band: Dear Future
Title: Can’t Wait Any Longer
Label: N/A
Release Date: September 2008
Review By: Scott L
Tracklisting:
01. This Isn’t Good Enough
02. Eden
03. Can’t Wait Any Longer
04. Hold On
05. You Are Loved
06. Twenty (Bonus Track)
Could I call that a cymbal solo? I think I can, but I’m not sure that there really is such a thing. Maybe this is uncharted musical territory. And even if it’s not, uncharted territory that is, at least it gives me a way to lead into this review.
Dear Future is a 5-piece out of Pickneyville, Illinois that plays an airy blend of pop and indie-rock. Heavy on the indie rock. For the sake of full disclosure, I feel compelled to get this out of the way right off the bat… Dear Future’s music is not great. It’s not even good. It is in fact, epic. It is so well done that once in the room with you, it is inescapable. It will find you. It will corner you. And it will win you over. There’s really no two ways about it. If you enjoyed Dear Future’s 2007 EP release, “The Emergency EP”, you have a glimpse of what I’m talking about. But rest assured, not only is “Can’t Wait Any Longer” more of what you loved about “The Emergency EP”, it takes it all to a whole another level. The whole U2-ish kinda vibe is back, but it’s just so much bigger. Every song has that anthem for humanity feel to it. Like this isn’t just a CD, it’s the soundtrack to your life.
I’d love to see a tour featuring Dear Future, Raining & OK, and Awaken, North Wind!. Talk about throwing gasoline on a fire… audiences would swoon, venues would crumble, and the stars may just align. Okay, maybe not the stars thing.
As I mentioned earlier, Dear Future’s style is a soft indie rock with just a touch of pop. Consider it thought provoking and stimulating. The songs are well-crafted and exhibit a good deal of creativity. Lyrically, “Can’t Wait Any Longer” is equally creative touching on a number of subjects over the course of 6 songs. Take “Eden” for example, “are we repeating / the Garden of Eden / are we confessing ourselves to be free when / there are snakes shaped like demons / they’re on every tree and / they’re offering wages for sinners like me / time is running out / it’s time to lock all your doors and hide / no hiding from the flood / but we can pretend / that this is the golden age / and we are all okay”. Or how about the EP’s title track, “Can’t Wait Any Longer” a song about struggle and hope which says, “dark sky, the sun is gone / today I spent the day away / from everything and everyone / I still behaved the same old way / no reason, sweet Jesus, / I hardly can believe it / and I don’t want to wait anymore / I can’t wait any longer / I can’t wait any longer / and I’m trying to grow stronger / to be where you are”.
The band says, “Thematically, the songs express dissatisfaction with the state of our society and the way we react to its problems, both as a society and as individuals… Dear Future’s music offers a message of hope… we are all believers, we believe in the power of grace, forgiveness and love”.
Standout track? Yeah, right. Take your pick. If I had to choose just one, and I suppose I do… I’d go with “Twenty” the EP’s bonus track. It’s a beautiful piano-driven song that carries you along and gracefully closes the CD out. Unless of course you have the repeat button pushed, in which case it carries you along and gracefully segue’s back to the beginning of the CD. Either way, it’s a beautiful song.
This really is a great release. And I really tried to come up with some negatives on it but just didn’t have much luck. My only negative was that the CD is too short, track-wise. Yeah, I know it’s called an EP for a reason. And sure it’s 6 songs and clocks in at just under 25 minutes… which is actually pretty good for an EP… but I just want more. And I’m already finding it hard to wait…
Overall: I realize that writing a review with such a glowing recommendation can tend toward disbelief. Or skepticism. Or maybe guarded optimism. But I assure you, it really is that good. You need to listen to it and decide for yourself. One spin. Take a chance. You will be convinced.
www.myspace.com/dearfuture