Denali has a following as one of the most breath-taking live bands around on the independent circuit today. In early 2002, they released their self-titled debut on Jade Tree records. A record full of melodic, melancholy pop, the album was not nearly as awe-inspiring as their live shows.
Just over a year later, Denali has released its second album, The Instinct. Hoping to sidestep the sophomore slump, Denali has answered back with 9 new tracks. Have they changed their sound enough to be fresh yet remain close enough to the original base to keep their fans? Can their new record capture the feeling of their stellar live show? The answer is yes, and a little bit no.
The opening track, Hold Your Breath, starts off the album on a good note. The guitars are more angular and distorted this time around, evoking a similar sound to bassist Keeley Davis' other band, Engine Down. During Surface, the churning guitars push and pull uneasily with use of delay, perhaps the best moment of the best track on the record.
Not all is different, however; drummer Jonathan Fuller's sequencer work still permeates the album, yet not quite so domineering as it was on their previous release. The Instinct starts off with a hollow sounding drum machine beat that quickly takes a back seat to the rest of the band, never seeming out of place.
Nullaby is a return to pure Denali, a slow tapestry of sounds with Maura's voice powerfully overflowing with emotion on top. Normal Days moves well but doesn't introduce anything new to the mix; it's merely a false start to something that never comes. Welcome, the closing track with an anticlimactic title is just that; lacking a definitive end.
Unfortunately, the album feels unbalanced in the end. The best parts all seem to happen within the first half, leaving the listener with an uneven feeling. The tracks are for the most part well composed, yet still lack the unbridled intensity of seeing Denali live. A much more solid work than their previous release, but Denali still has a way to go.
-Max Francis