I was recently looking at some new album releases and came across this new Shearwater album. I wasn’t familiar with their music, and honestly, I don’t think I’d ever even heard of this band until I discovered this album.

I was curious to check out this album, partially due to the cover art, which has to be one of my favourite album covers of the year so far. But a great cover art doesn’t always mean a great album, so how’s the album itself?

Well, it’s interesting, to say the least … but it didn’t really click for me outside of a few songs. This is a mostly mellow album with lots of small details in the instrumentation, and I could totally understand why someone might love this album.

With that being said, some of these songs feel like interesting ideas that kind of drag on and become boring … for example, the song, “Milkweed”, which starts off promising with some water sounds and some nice pianos, but the song feels to me like it drags on too long. Although I do like the ending of the track.

This album does have its highlights in my opinion. “Highgate” is a great opener, with the pianos, great vocals from Jonathan Meiburg, and huge shots of instrumentation part-way through that add so much to the track, before mellowing out at the end.

“Empty Orchestra” is almost a rock song, and I love the busy percussion on this track, as well as the synths (or whatever that sound is) that come in just under a minute and a half into the song, and show up later, too. Also, the volumes of the instruments on this track are really well balanced.

“Aqaba” is also a highlight on the album for me, and while I don’t think this track is amazing, it has some really good vocal melodies and some nice strings.

And then there’s a song like “There Goes the Sun” which, at least to me, feels way too long. I’m bored by about two minutes in, and the song is almost eight minutes long!

I do respect the creativity of this project. I mean, the song, “Wind Is Love”, for example, has some really cool ideas, like the switch-up part way through with the addition of the percussion, as well as that helicopter-like sound … but the song just doesn’t do much for me personally.

I think Jonathan’s vocals throughout this album are good, and a lot of the instrumentation is good, too, but I often feel like the vocals and the music don’t fit well together. The vocals remind me a lot of Asger Mygind of VOLA, based on the one VOLA album I’ve listened to, Witness, which is one of my favourite albums of last year. (If you haven’t heard Witness and you’re into melodic hard rock, I highly recommend that you listen to it … it’s phenomenal!) However, the music on this album is very different from the music on Witness. So, maybe part of this is just me being biased because I feel like it’s missing the instrumentation of Witness, but for the most part, I don’t think that’s the issue for me. Honestly, the vocals sound like they could really work over mellow instrumentals in the right context. Maybe it’s just that the extra detailed instrumentation distracts from the vocals.

Overall, while I think there are some cool ideas on this album, it doesn’t really work for me as a whole, and I’m giving The Great Awakening a strong 4/10.

Keep in mind, though, as always, this is just my opinion based on my own personal taste in music. Like I said, I respect the creativity of this album, and I could totally see why someone might love this, so if you have the time, I think it’s worth a listen.

Finally, I said in my last review that I was hoping to have more reviews out within five days or so. That didn’t happen. It’s been almost two weeks since that review was posted. That being said, I do expect to have another review out soon. No guarantees, but that’s what I’m hoping for.

Final Thoughts
Rating: 4/10
Favourite Tracks: Highgate, Empty Orchestra, Aqaba
Least Favourite Tracks: Laguna Seca, Everyone You Touch, Detritivore, There Goes the Sun, Wind Is Love