Walking Phoenix is an Americana/indie-alternative rock band, hailing from the Fargo, ND/Moorhead, MN area. The band formed in March of 2020 when Jaeden Alverson (vocals/guitar) and Evan Wood (guitar) teamed up with Dan Schuster (drums). It wasn’t too much later Tor Kjartansson (bass) joined to complete the band.
The band went on to release American Dreams which is a fifteen-song debut album. They mention “We draw inspiration from lots of bands/artists such as: Hippo Campus, Kings of Leon, Jack White, Bros. Landreth, John Mayer, Rival Sons, Led Zeppelin, Backseat Lovers, etc.” The music to my ears goes down easily. It’s fairly upbeat rock that will sound good at an outside festival or a late night bar. For the most part it feels like the band is having a good time and wants you to as well. They start with “Intro: Embers” which goes out of the gate with a lot of energy. The band for the most rock hard for a couple of minutes with a lead guitar leading the charge. They simmer down with “Good Intentions” and sort of loosen up a bit at the same time. Alverson delivers the vocals in a very carefree fashion and invites you in to have a good time. The band sounds in the pocket, dynamic and well rehearsed. “Listen” starts a little more intimate with a soulful interplay between the instrumentation and vocals. The bass sounds great and keeps the energy moving. As the song progresses a couple of memorable moments including the guitar solo and hook. The title track “American Dreams” is another solid song and one of the more single-worthy ones. There’s a warmth to the song and a mix of nostalgia, reflection as well as gratitude. The chorus pops on this song and is clearly defined. The band keeps the energy up with “Butterflies” which splashes fuzzy guitars with a vibrant rhythm section while “Out Of Sight” is an emotional resonant Americana influenced song with warm acoustic instrumentation. “Pamela” was a highlight. I loved the groove and energy on this song. It’s also one of the catchiest songs on the album. The vocals hit the bullseye here and the chorus is repeat worthy. Vampire Weekend came to mind. There are some more standouts as the album progresses. The violin on “Seven Sins” was a pleasant surprise that meshed well with their music.”Bum Dope” sounded like the fuzziest rock which has a good amount of attitude. “Gasoline” contains some well done builds. The most traditional ballad is “Where Lovers Go To Die” which they knock it out of the park.They close with “Outro: Ashes” which has the same energy as the intro. My only slight critique is the intro and outro sounded like a post-rock band where the other material doesn't. That being said, the band sounds great on their debut. The song writing and delivery was top notch. Recommended.
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