Deas Vail – Birds and Cages

If Deas Vail had released their 2009 sophmore effort back in 2005, I have no doubt that it would have been embraced by and released on Drive Thru Records.  Around the label’s twilight years, the 90’s staple was experiencing somewhat of a resurgence in soft, wistful emo as seen by releases by The Early November, House of Fools, and Socratic.  Deas Vail’s second full length, Birds & Cages, takes the best traits from that era and realigns them for a familiar and altogether enjoyable listen.  The beautiful but washed-out cover art and cool pastel coloured illustrations perfectly embody Dias Vail’s style.

Vocalist Wes Blaylock is the perfect fusion of the previously mentioned bands.  He tends to feel most comfortable somewhere in the higher range spectrum, but rest assured, this isn’t whinny emo, it’s soft and delicate, much in the vein of Mae (although unlike with Mae, I find this very easy to get into).  Blaylock’s delivery is probably best described as thoughtful as he maintains a quiet, conversational, and friendly tone.  Occasionally with tracks like “Excuses” he experiments with a less subtle approach – potentially inviting comparisons to The Spill Canvas’ edgier moments – but thankfully these segments are short-lived.  On a more successful note, as seen on “The Things You Were,” bandmate and wife Laura Blaylock periodically contributes some lofty backing vocals.  The female accompaniment is more than welcome and compliments Wes nicely.

Beyond Wes’ soothing vocals, Birds & Cages boasts some truly remarkable instrumentation.  Returning to my original House of Fools comparison, Deas Vail is one of the few bands that understand how to integrate a classic rock feel into a soft indie landscape.  Pinpointing exact influences beyond House of Fools eludes me, but the prevalence of reflective guitar solos and carefully laced piano keys in tracks like “Cages” and “Birds” makes the comparison a no brainer.

Now I should probably mention that Deas Vail falls into the realm of Christian bands – after all, their name is a combination of French and Latin that means “Humble Servant of God.”  But rest assured Birds & Cages transcends this narrow label and should meet warm reception among a broader audience.  The difference between Deas Vail and say, the Newsboys, is that while groups like the Newsboys reference very overt beliefs and doctrine, Deas Vail asks questions eloquently about contemporary life.  Many tracks grapple with personal themes of love and freedom that are easily adoptable by more than just a Christian audience.  In other words, Birds & Cages contains many layers of meaning – so I urge those intimidated by the band’s “Christian” label to still give this one a shot.

So if you’ve ever fancied the lofty melodies once found in the soft, emo-inspired bands of Drive Thru Records’ past, then look no further.  Birds & Cages should find a spot in the hearts of anyone still mourning the loss (even though it’s formally an ongoing hiatus) of the once prominent label.