Dishwalla was a band that achieved stardom
in the 90s with 'Counting Blue Cars' (which was one of the
most-played indie radio songs of that year). Yet, when Dishwalla
released 'Opaline' in 2002, their popularity was already in sharp
decline. For reasons unknown, 'Opaline' did not turn that trend.
Because 'Opaline' is by far the best album Dishwalla has ever
released. Gone are the jarringly disjointed songs of old, replaced
by truly mesmerizing tunes that carry the same theme from begin to
end. Perhaps it failed to make an impact because it is much more
melodic and much less aggressive than their previous and later
releases - something that their fans did neither expect nor like.
Still, 'Opaline' contains two true masterpiece tracks that rival
anything released in the past decade: 'Angels or Devils' is a song
that immediately draws you in, with an irresistible mix of
acoustic and electric guitars, that complements JR Richard's voice
perfectly. The other masterpiece is 'Home', which exemplifies a
soul's sadness -- expressed as music. Few other songs manage to
express longing, solitude, and a desire for comfort as exquisitely
as this song.
But 'Opaline' holds more than just two songs that will forever
leave marks on your heart: 'Somewhere in the Middle' is another
immediately likable song that stays remarkably fresh even after
repeat listening. Also worth mentioning are 'Every Little Thing'
and 'Mad Life', which initially are less accessible, but will
linger in the back of your mind endlessly. The remaining tracks
are all well above-average, yet pale in comparison to Angels and
Home.
As with their previous albums, Dishwalla's lyrics are a mixed bag.
While 'Counting Blue Cars' had one of the most memorable lines of
the past decade, many of the earlier songs didn't mesh lyrically
(especially 'Charlie Brown's Parents', which appears lyrically
completely detached from the melody).
All songs in 'Opaline' much better match mood and melody. For
example the lines in 'Home' match perfectly Richard's weary voice
and the weeping of his guitar. While not profound, the lyrics
finally are gratifyingly accurate in expressing what the song is
about.
For those people who like melodic independent rock 'Opaline' is a
true must. With perhaps the exception of Reamonn's 'Beautiful Sky'
there is no other definite indie melodic rock album.
~EM
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