le blog pastallconcerns

Open wide your eyes…and your ears, Derek Delano’s album is a real experience that implies more than just casual listening. Open Wide Your Eyes You Will See A Bird appeals to all your senses at one time. Dwelling on the record cover might seem a little superficial at first sight compared to the importance of music but it would be difficult to step into his world without considering this paper gem as part of his art. The cover is uncommonly beautiful. Even though you haven’t been introduced to the sounds yet, you can already feel its universe, as a feminine tree-like figure prompts you into running your fingers over the smooth and delicate surface.

The first track confirms this feeling with the introduction. Like a bird on the wire, a soft voice raises over childlike tingling and jingling. One can’t help thinking of Eliott Smith, especially on Bubbles of Soap, in which the voice claims for a shelter as if it were seeking protection and solace in its influences. Indeed, the first songs of the album either recall  Troy Von Balthazar for the singing or Thomas Dybdal for the melodies. Armed with such companions, the wingless bird takes his flight gradually, getting more and more impact on the listener and gaining identity with songs like Frozen Lake, absolutely stunning in its simplicity, and Kill me Twice with its surprising lilt and energy. By the time you’ve come to Like a Curse, the husky voice has won you over and you can fully appreciate the bare sadness of the guitar playing . The songs seem to grasp the beauty lying in precarious things to make it last in your head like a broken kaleidoscope full of vanishing images.

The record reaches its climax with the final song. My Home Now beams with sadness. The title is all the more relevant as the voice, at first unobstrusive ,has managed to create a universe of its own with steadfast melodies. The small bird has found a melodious nest. Even though there is a certain lack of intricate arrangements and some songs might sound repetitive, the sensuality and fragility of the voice - far from being dispirited - is often enhanced by the pure melodies. Eventually, it’s the listener’s turn to find a quiet shelter in Derek Delano’s melancholy.