JEREMY ENIGK - “WORLD WAITS”

CD: JEREMY ENIGKâ€""WORLD WAITS"

Review: Opening with an orchestral flourish called “A New Beginning,” Jeremy Enigk’s latest album may not sound completely new to those familiar with his earlier work, but this record still shows him stepping forward into territory quite different from his days leading Sunny Day Real Estate. Enigk has never been afraid to rock out, but with World Waits he also shows he knows how to temper these instincts with mellower moments. The songs emotional focus is largely one of melancholy hopefulness, and Enigk relies on layers of acoustic guitars, pianos, and other keyboards to propel the tunes forward. He even puts a mandolin front-and-center on “Dare A Smile,” a move unimaginable in his early days. Enigk also laces these songs with background vocals containing their own separate melody lines. This not only makes the tunes more interesting and laden with hooks, it also emphasizes how Enigk seems to be emphasizing the “roll” as much as the ‘rock” in his current songwriting. Indeed, some of these songs positively swing along atop their largely acoustic foundation. There is no lack of punch, however, with “Been There Before” and “City Tonight” being just two of the standouts in this regard. For fans of melodic, lushly produced, and at times anthemic indie-rock, this is a standout album.

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