At a time when we were desperately hoping to put the deadly pandemic behind us, a band was being formed in the US city of Baltimore. Drew Danburry had just relocated there, and soon formed Icarus Phoenix alongside a group of very talented musicians. The outfit currently comprises Drew (vocals & guitar), Eli Sims (drums), Leena Rhodes (guitar, vocals & synth) and Brendan Russell (bass).
Icarus Phoenix are today releasing their fourth album, I Should Have Known the Things You Never Said. From the title, one can gather that this album is full of introspection. It was written during a trying period of Danburry’s life. In the middle of a divorce that also separated from his kid, writing was probably a natural source of solace.
I Should Have Known the Things You Never Said is 41 minutes of immersive listening experience. You will find the music to be as captivating as it is evocative. Besides producer Jed Jones, a host of other musicians — Jake Bellows (guitar), Justin Pacheco (bass), and Andrew Young (drums) — were enlisted to sprinkle their magic on this LP. Each track brims with smooth, dreamy melodies and warm, smoky vocals. The band does describe their sound as ‘shoegaze indie rock’. On this album, you’ll hear lots of folk music influences, with storytelling and beautiful harmonies characterizing most of the compositions.
The album finds Drew Danburry trying to retrace his steps and figure out where he went wrong. Honesty thus becomes a useful tool in this difficult journey. “Doctor! Doctor!” is a particularly profound song, especially the line where Drew is reminded that his son needs a father.
Perspectives are reversed on “Painting”, a stirring piece about Drew’s mother taking up painting classes as a way to deal with the loss of one of his sons to cancer. Drew had grown up seeing paintings but he never saw her actually doing the painting because she stopped soon as the classes were over. “That’s what it’s about. Understanding that your parents came from struggle, grief and tragedy. Understanding that the people who raised you were broken by life and that they were probably doing their best,” he comments.
As a whole, I Should Have Known the Things You Never Said is therapeutic, and most fans of indie and alt-rock music should find it enjoyable. Alongside the album, Icarus Phoenix have today unveiled the music video for one of the songs, “The Things You Never Told Me”.
Watch the visual above, stream the whole album below via Spotify, and be sure to follow the band on Instagram.
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