Insight & Critique
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

Walen Grey - Walen Grey

2/16/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Walen Grey

Walen Grey
self-released; 2016

​3.9 out of 5

By Ryan Ansel

This drearily dreamy project makes for an eerie, yet gratifying venture to your darkest memories and back.

​Daniel McDonough, the lead singer for LA-based, gothic post-punk band, Misplaced Devotion, independently released his self-titled debut album Walen Grey for his latest solo project, Walen Grey, on December 26th. Though McDonough resides in sunny Los Angeles, this album definitely has a haunting, winter day vibe that you might find most enjoyable while lying in bed in the middle of the night, staring at a dark ceiling
.

McDonough describes his music as, “dark” and “hypnotic,” and appropriately, that mesmerizing aesthetic is really well fostered on this record from front to back.  The album begins with a sample of eerie night winds, followed by some dramatic guitar fingerpicking that plays a welcoming introduction for his soothing vocals that evoke a tone similar to Thom Yorke except with clearer articulacy and more gothic-styled lyricism.

Throughout this album, the artist discusses feeling lonely and helpless in second-person, using minor chord progressions and deeply-echoing, industrial percussive noises to create a parallel mood between the instruments and subject matter. There is certainly an element of love loss in McDonough’s lyrics. It seems as though the album is an effort to illustrate a metaphysical romance in his sleep, as his dreams and nightmares provide a sanctuary for him to be heard and reflect upon brighter times in his life that have passed. 

The lyricism is heavy, particularly on the track “Burn,” when McDonough reflects upon his insecurities and the feeling of helplessness that comes along with them, whispering out the melancholy lines, “obsessive over your weaknesses and fears / you haven’t had a wish to make in years.” There is an underlying theme of deception on that track as well, as McDonough personifies promises as deceptive beings that built him up yet were glad to see him fall, perhaps alluding to past vows of a loved one which were broken with disappointment. The loveless sentiment is more clearly expressed on the track “Forget” when McDonough hints at a degrading feeling of self-worth, singing, “find the memory that will replace me and maybe one day you can be happy.”

I was surprised to find out that this project was recorded in McDonough’s room because of the quality of the album’s production. The project is mastered by McDonough’s close friend, Kevin Abdala, to the point that there is never a second where the vocals or any of the instruments sound even slightly overbearing. The track, “Collapse,” is mixed particularly well, molds together beautifully chiming synths with a head-nodding beat that makes for a spacey experience.

The more experimental aspects of the album provide for its highlights. The glitchy industrial drums looped over evolving, ambient synths on “Forget” help build desperate emotion in McDonough’s sweet falsetto cry, “please forgive me,” and personally bring to mind Radiohead’s “Idioteque.” McDonough also does a fine job in utilizing his impressive vocal range to suit the emotions of his lyrics. “Goodbye,” showcases McDonough’s most direct lyricism, as his mind ponders on a lost love, reaching for answers by asking, “Do you know how much you mattered? / Do you know what you meant to me?” before finally reassuring himself, “I will be fine.

This is a project that comes jam packed with emotion, fusing gothic music elements with catchiness that any music fan – not just industrial - will be interested in hearing.  McDonough’s work with Misplaced Devotion, which also dropped a self-titled project on Bandcamp just 12 days before his Walen Grey release, has a much more lo-fi sound than this solo album, granted that, Misplaced Devotion is a four-piece band with difference sources of inspiration. Perhaps, this project stands as McDonough’s attempt to capture a more emotionally honest, dreamier area in his mind. It should be interesting to see what this artist does next and whether or not he decides to expand on this promising Walen Grey sound.
Tweet
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by divideanconqer
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
Book Your Band
© Divide and Conquer 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact