Tom DeLonge’s (side) project Angels & Airwaves release their fourth album The Dream Walker following a three year gap after 2011’s Love: part Two.
As DeLonge is also front man of power trio Blink 182, I went into this album with a certain expectation of brattish post punk pop songs, all 3 minutes long bursts of high-energy adrenaline. Yes, there’s some of that evident, especially with lead single Paralyzed, but what surprised me was the heavy use of synths on certain tracks such as The Wolfpack and Kiss With A Spell, the latter with touches of Depeche Mode evident.
The album is just part of a project which also includes an animated short film and graphic novel, and as far as I can tell is actually a concept album about someone controlling his dreams, something which traditionally sends people running to the hills, but rather than ponderous and over complicated, this is an album full of surprises. Each song seems to vary hugely from each of the others on the album, and none ever overstay their welcome.
At times dark, album highlight for me is Tunnels, written after Tom’s father sadly passed. The band has turned personal sadness into a gorgeous elegy to hope and reflection.
Mercenaries returns to the more familiar rock format, big chorus, soaring guitars, and urgent drumming, but even this seems more controlled and measured than previous work from either band, and all the better for it in my eyes.
The lovely The Disease follows, with its sing along chorus just asking to be belted out by the teenagers at next years festivals..
The 40 minute album closes with another highlight, the melodic space rock Tremors and then into the only acoustic track on the album Anomaly.
A surprisingly dark, measured and melodic album, this is a real grower and rewards repeated listens. This is a real find as winter takes hold, and sure to please existing fans and any newcomers stumbling across it.
Keith
8/11
