GutterPutter

Winters Lane isn’t a band that is fully famous to everyone. In fact, this is the first project that they’ve put out as I first heard of it through a FRESH post up on Reddit. With not much context surrounding the creation of the album and the recency of the band, don’t be surprised if this review is short. All I can say with regards to it is that, for a band that is focused on instrumentals above all else without any lyricism, the final product is a pretty pleasant listen.

With a certain touch of artsy experimentation like alternative rock, the album lasts for just under 30 minutes. Nevertheless, the clean guitar notes and the fluid playing of the bass and drum ensures that there is much to be charmed by if you were to pay a bit more attention to it. Throughout the album, you may get impressions of many genres. This can range from the shimmering wave of sounds a-la shoegaze, as noted in ‘Tim Robbins’; twinkly arpeggiated riffs like Midwest emo, evident in ‘Chicken & Walnuts’; and the melancholic feeling of slowcore, at its most apparent in ‘Snow Day’. There might not be a clear identity for the band to adopt as a way to stand out, but there are certainly options that they could keep in mind.

The production in particular stands out for how much flexibility it gives to what could’ve been a derivative project with little difference in each track’s structure. I might not find much between each song on the album to describe what makes each one stick out and whether they were good or bad, but I can’t deny that there’s a clear shine that allows each instrument to have its own ‘accent’ without feeling sheltered. The soundscape, as a result, can feel mesmerising if you favour one instrument. 

Nevertheless, the minimal instrumentation, lack of lyricism, and little flexibility in the structure can make for what could be seen as a shallow experience. After a couple of listens, I feel a bit weathered out at how the songs might sound pretty, but it just feels like there isn’t much substance that makes me attached to it. Maybe it might be to do with how the band is just new with little to no background of who they are which makes my disliking too harsh. Still, it doesn’t stop the fact that I would’ve hoped for there to be more of. 

If you like instrumental albums that see the studio as an instrument to add a little bit of texture, then Photo Album is not bad for a debut album. Its shininess could prove to be a starting point for Winters Lane to get a head start in establishing themselves as a potential star in a few years’ time. Otherwise, keep your expectation low because it doesn’t have the highs that will stick with you for a long, long time.