White Water, White Bloom

White Water, White Bloom

Sea Wolf’s beautiful 2008 debut, Leaves In the River, came wrapped in darkness and fog, but White Water, White Bloom arrives — fittingly — awash in promising spring sunshine and something resembling a revived spirit. Principal member and songwriter Alex Brown Church’s earthy voice sounds more purposeful, piano keys are struck more forcefully, and even the fluttery strings are more hopeful than sorrowful. There are tracks just as fragile and evocative as those on the debut, such as the acoustic guitar-driven “The Orchard” and the folky “Orion & Dog,” but for the most part, White Water has a little more fire in its belly. Church’s cascading lilt on tracks like “Turn the Dirt Over,” and the lush orchestration on songs like the title track and “Spirit Horse” put Sea Wolf squarely in the company of soul searching, folk-rock artists like Bright Eyes and the Decemberists. “O Maria!” is infused with cool, indie-rock petulance and opening track “Wicked Blood” features emphatic piano and strings churning beneath Church’s warm, multi-tracked vocals; both are memorable and elegant.

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