By Charlie Maybee
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The Oklahoma-based husband and wife blues rock duo, The Imaginaries, have released their follow-up single “Revival” after the success of their eponymous debut album released last March.
The song starts off with a slow dirge-like quality, with the spacious twang of the guitar and breathy vocal harmonies giving off the feeling of weary travelers with heavy souls. Then, with a sudden second wind, they shift gears and find a strong sense of drive as the drums come in and the guitars become electrified. It becomes clear that the title of the track doesn’t just apply to the lyrics, but to the instrumental composition, with our duo finding a renewed sense of energy as they go along.
With the accompanying music video, the feel of wandering souls is highlighted again, but with the twist of our protagonist duo being bank-robbing criminals on the run. Relying on the heavy bass drum drive of the song, the feeling of weariness stemming from a life in crime becomes clear, as the need for an energetic revival becomes a strong narrative point.
Combining characteristics of old-school westerns with the modern storytelling of O Brother, Where Art Thou and Bonnie and Clyde, the overall aesthetic brings an electric energy to an Americana style of art and performance.
The Imaginaries have clearly been working hard on this follow-up, which showcases their adept songwriting abilities – particularly with the development of strong narratives that are deeply embedded in the composition rather than a decorative feature. We will be looking forward to the next release to see how their stories continue to unfold.
“Revival” can be streamed on all major streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube, and Deezer. The accompanying music video is also available on YouTube.
Go see The Imaginaries at The Birchmere on October 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
