Thayer Sarrano is back with her third album, continuing her dark, ethereal style.
As you may expect from an album called “Wings Alleluia”, the lyrical content of the album’s tracks feature spiritual undertones. Backup vocals were performed by The Athens Cowboy Choir, which delves further into the religious theme. “Wings Alleluia” carries the sense that this music could be heard echoing through a cathedral. Sarrano’s sweet, dreamy vocals provide a soft juxtaposition against the heavy guitar and synth that are featured on most of the tracks.
The tracks themselves range in genre. “Totem” has a very americana feel, pairing the gentle twang of Sarrano’s voice with guitar licks of the same style. “Grace Goes On” opens with a chimeatron, which has a dark sound similar to that of a music box.
The album’s title track, “Wings Alleluia”, is nearly 10 minutes long, and is almost trance-like. Sarrano’s vocals are heavily filtered, melding with those of the cowboy choir. However, the lyrics remains clear, unlike fuzz-covered songs by other indie artists.
This album is really something special. Sarrano masterfully blends genres to create a sound that is all her own. Choral music is an important part of my life, and I appreciate how it is incorporated into this album. I believe that it is under-utilized in modern music, and has the potential to create great ambiance as well as to layer complex harmonies into a song. Sarrano uses this to full advantage, allowing it to mix perfectly with other unexpected musical choices. Overall, I really enjoyed this album and would rate it an 8 out of 10.
Favorite Tracks: These Arms, Totem, Wings Alleluia
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