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Tuesday, August 6, 2024

The Duskwhales and the beautiful art rock wonder and whimsy of "Strawflower Lane"

 

"In the court of the dying king / They will make me dance and sing / And the jury will be out on me / Whether I will be released..."


The heady harmonic grandeur of "Strawflower Lane" by Manassas, Virginia based three piece indie rock band The Duskwhales, the title track from their 5th full length album set to drop August 16th, 2024, has a complex emotional temperament, one that pushes memory buttons in my head. One one hand Brian Majewski, Seth Flynn and Chris Baker embrace a sincere 70's orchestrated art rock prowess of artists who blended sophisticated pop compositions with rock verve and glam nuances. Artists like Queen, Electric Light Orchestra, The Kinks, Supertramp come to mind. The kind of artists who pulled from their dads pop music, bands who had at least one member who was a jazz kind in school and others whose music theory came from their intuitive gut and all who dreamed of being rock stars when they were young while secretly listened to the Beach Boys alone in their bedrooms. 

All this sonic D.N.A and yet the other side of "Strawflower Lane" has less to do with it's wonderful songwriting and production flourishes and more to do with the whimsy and wonder of 6th graders performing at an ornate school play. I feel that here too and that youthful awe takes "Strawflower Lane" to an all together other level. 

The Duskwhales are Seth Flynn, Chris Baker, and Brian Majewski

Seth Flynn: guitars, vocals, bass, keys
Chris Baker: drums, vocals, bass, guitars
Brian Majewski: piano, vocals, synths, ghambri

LINER NOTES:

["Strawflower Lane" is the second single and title track off our upcoming album recorded by ourselves in a basement during the pandemic. The song is a pensive piano ballad with lush orchestral arrangements and stacked vocal harmonies reminiscent of Queen. While the music has a melancholy vibe, the lyrics are uplifting and hopeful. It tells the story of a nervous minstrel performing in the court of a dying king and pondering his own mortality.]

-Robb Donker Curtius







THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM 


https://soundcloud.com/theduskwhales

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheDuskwhales

https://theduskwhales.bandcamp.com/album/strawflower-lane

https://www.instagram.com/theduskwhales/

https://x.com/TheDuskwhales

https://www.facebook.com/TheDuskwhales/


The Duskwhales are a three-piece indie rock band formed in Manassas, Virginia in 2010. Their sound is reminiscent of 60's groups such as The Beatles and The Doors through prominent use of keyboards and memorable vocal harmonies. While incorporating the best elements of their psychedelic roots, the young trio creates a sophisticated style of their own in both studio and live settings. They have shared the stage with national acts Car Seat Headrest, Diane Coffee, Little Green Cars, and Frankie Cosmos, as well as performed to packed audiences across the East Coast. The Duskwhales are currently working on a three part recording project with each band member as the primary songwriter.







The Duskwhales, art rock, alt rock, glam, post rock, indie pop, indie rock, Virginia band, 5th full length album "Strawflower Lane", 70's orchestrated rock, 80's music, revival rock,

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