Seahaven – Winter Forever

Seahaven’s debut full length Winter Forever follows the Los Angeles four piece’s remarkable Ghost EP.  Ghost made for easy comparisons with some of my favourite post-punk acts, including Manchester Orchestra, Brand New, and Kevin Devine.  The beauty of the project rested in the group’s authentic emotional connection and patience for melody.  While Winter Forever leaves off where Ghost‘s aspirations close, I can’t help but feel the post-punk quartet forgot a few of the cornerstones that made their debut so striking.

For starters, where Ghost was quick to take listeners by the hand, Winter Forever’s emotional connection wanes early on.  Opener “Goodnight” feels impatient to please with hook-laden choruses and a steady guitar rush negligent of the patience required for taking listeners to that dark corner of their mind.  The seemingly abridged intro feels like an afterthought in need of further development, with the bulk of the song existing as a linear creation.  Kyle Chadwick’s vocals also take a hit as a consequence of more conventional song writing.  I simply don’t remember him sounding this whinny and shrill.  To top it off “It’s Over” and “Slow Down” feature layered choruses resembling the most annoying aspects of Tell All Your Friends era Taking Back Sunday.  Their previously engrossing bass work is also ‘missing in action,’ with most songs now existing on the upper end of spectrum.  Dare I say that Seahaven is trying too much all at once while neglecting their most successful sounds?

The good news though is that the band makes up for lost ground during Winter Forever’s back half.  Large portions of “Black & White” strip the band down to Chadwick’s finest crawl, leaving listeners with the minimal backing glow of lone guitar chords and faint whispers.  “Save Me” and “End Of The World” even reconcile their newfound structure with choruses mimicking their tranquil counterparts.  Not surprisingly the unplugged acoustic piece “Honey Bee” forges the deepest connection with listeners.  Sadly though, such connections have become the exception rather than the rule.

Overall, Winter Forever is a disappointing follow-up that tries new things but discards much of what made Ghost a success.  Seahaven’s foundation remains well informed, but the group’s execution makes for a lackluster landing.  Don’t get me wrong, Winter Forever isn’t a throw away, but it offers little reason to favour it over Ghost.  Here’s to hoping their next outing serves as a deserving rebound.