Reviews of Welcome to Wonderland (2024)

'Welcome to Wonderland' by Changing Modes is a Secretly Underrated Rock Masterpiece That is Waiting To Be Discovered!

'Welcome to Wonderland' by Changing Modes may just be their most exquisite project yet. With this nine-track album, the band’s newfound effort in the music scene sees them embracing experimental techniques like tape mastering to add a warm, old-school touch to their sound.
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Changing Modes

The album commences with 'Unspoken,' an anthemic track that grabs attention and ears almost immediately. It's an edgy opener, packed with pulsing production and gripping vocals that epitomize the album's punk spirit. This song sets the stage for what’s to come by creating a sense of anticipation that never lets up.

'Pinwheels' follows, and it’s nothing short of mesmerizing. Julie Marden’s exceptional violin performance steals the spotlight which adds an ethereal quality to the track. While the lyrics are nothing short of passionate and the vocals are enchanting, the production of the song truly takes it to a whole another level. The layers of the song peel and combine flawlessly.

Next up, 'Time Machine' delivers a refreshing twist with its flute introduction. Despite its brief stay, this track has an irresistible energy that leaves you wanting to hit repeat. It’s a short yet impactful piece, proving that sometimes less truly is more.

The album takes a cinematic turn with 'Cold Day in April.' Being the only instrumental interlude of the album, this song serves just as much of a purpose as the rest of the album. It allows listeners the opportunity to craft a narrative of their choice.

'Some Other Person' brings a burst of grunge-inspired energy. This track screams 90s nostalgia and is made to be played at full volume. Whether you’re feeling to go on a much-needed late-night drive or just blast some super good music in your room, this one works for either of those occasions.

As the album progresses, 'December' introduces its first mellow indie song of the album so far. The song contrasts beautifully with its predecessor. The song’s production creates a dreamy atmosphere which makes it a standout for listeners seeking a more laid-back moment amidst the album’s dynamic shifts.
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Track seven, 'On Condition,' brings a jazzy swerve with the help of alto sax. This track adds a more smooth and sultry layer to the album’s progression which is enough to make you swoon. This song has maintained its slow energy from 'December' and has decided to tone the energy down after the first 5 heavily rhythmic tracks.

The titular track, 'Welcome to Wonderland,' is a jubilant centerpiece of the album. Featuring some brilliant piccolo parts and playful drumming, this track is an honest reminder of the creativity and joy music can bring sometimes.

Finally, the album concludes with 'Moving On,' a song that summarizes the bittersweet nature of life’s inevitable changes. The freakish piano performance gradually transitions into a soothing melody which is accompanied by angel-like vocals. The track is the perfect 'bid adieu' for the album.

'Welcome to Wonderland' is a secretly underrated masterpiece that heavily peaks because of its magnificent work instrumentally as well as genre-defying creativity. Changing Modes has crafted an album that integrates diverse influences, from punk to classical and they have truly outdone themselves with this one. The band for sure knows how to keep its listeners guessing with unexpected twists and turns in return.

Each track stands strong on its own while contributing to a larger narrative that keeps you engaged from start to finish. As the band said, there’s something for everyone in this album. So, trust us when we say, you do not want to miss out on this album.

- Sharanya Nadar, tuneoasis.com

tuneoasis.com

Reviews of Wax World (2021)

A Characteristically Brilliant, Surprising, Slashingly Lyrical New Album by Changing Modes

Changing Modes have been one of the best bands in New York since the zeros, when they began releasing a formidable series of catchy, ambitious, individualistic rock records. Their music features layers of keyboards and vocal harmonies from frontwomen Wendy Griffiths and Grace Pulliam, enigmatically virtuosic and often slashing lead guitar from Yuzuru Sadashige, with drummer Timur Yusef colorfully negotiating the songs’ serpentine, shapeshifting rhythms. As the years went on, their playful lyrical edge grew angrier and more politically-inspired, particularly as the Metoo movement gained momentum. Their latest album Wax World is streaming at youtube.

From a performance point of view, what’s most amazing is that it sounds as lush and contiguous as the rest of their catalog, considering that Yusef – one of the most colorfully nimble players in town – recorded his tracks remotely from the UK.

The opening number, Audio Polaroid, is a searing, sardonic commentary on IG-era narcissism: “Audio Polaroid never will fill the void,” the two women harmonize over a surreal blend of reggae and skittish new wave. The ultimate message seems to be that it’s never more than a memory – and a hazy one at that.

Griffiths and Pulliam exchange lyrical lines and harmonies over haphazard Beatles blues in Nothing to Say: “You’re selling your soul on ebay, you’re selling secrets that aren’t yours to give away,” Pulliam accuses. Strychnine is not the Cramps classic but an slyly blippy, very subtly venomous, new wave-tinged original with a hilarious intro.

Stasis Loop rises out of an evil morass of feedback and horror-movie keys, a macabre, picturesque account of the early days of the lockdown in New York, “Stuck in a place where nobody waits for summer or fall…playgrounds are empty, their friends are all gone and even their masters are someone else’s boss.” It might be the best song of 2021.

The band maintain the chilly ambience in Autumn, a vehicle for Sadashige’s enigmatically skeletal guitar leads. Likewise, the rainy-day guitar clusters, keening organ and plaintive vocal harmonies in Glass of Winter. If this song is any indication, Sadashige was a great surf guitarist in a past life and has graduated to jazz.

Solitary, a brisk punchy new wave/punk number, speaks for itself: this time the grisly joke is the outro. Yusef’s gracefully tumbling Atrocity Exhibition-style drums bookend On an Island, a gorgeously symphonic, surreal escape ballad. Baritone saxophonist Sawa Tamezane caps off Haze, a ba-bump cabaret-tinged number, with an incisively lyrical solo.

The band close with Undertow, a dynamically shifting, baroque-tinged anthem, late Beatles through a glass darkly. Changing Modes’ records have been ubiquitous on this blog’s annual Best Albums of the Year page since day one and this one will be high on the list for 2021.

--delarue, New York Music Daily

More Reviews

Album Review: CHANGING MODES – Wax World

Although the band has long been crafting their sonic tapestries, it’s only recently that they’ve begun to catch the discerning ear of the prog-rock aficionado. Griffiths, with her kaleidoscopic keyboard compositions, effortlessly navigates a musical landscape that feels like a reverent nod to the psychedelic hues of the 60s and 70s, yet firmly grounded in the contemporary ethos of rock, deftly avoiding any hint of banality.

Backing Griffiths’ enigmatic presence are the rhythmic stalwarts Yuzuru Sadashige on bass and Timur Yusef on drums, whose collective groove ensures that the music never strays into the realm of predictability. Their synchronicity provides a sturdy foundation for the band’s sonic explorations, allowing them to seamlessly traverse diverse musical terrains.

Their latest offering, “Wax World” (2021), serves as a testament to Changing Modes‘ boundary-pushing ethos. This collection of songs is a kaleidoscopic journey through the annals of prog-infused psych rock, drawing inspiration from luminaries like Yes and the Zombies while infusing modern sensibilities reminiscent of the experimental fervor of Faith No More.

Each track on “Wax World” is a testament to the band’s inventive spirit. From the whimsical “Audio Polaroid” to the raw energy of “Solitary,” Changing Modes fearlessly embraces a myriad of influences, effortlessly melding punk aesthetics with psychedelic reveries and new wave nostalgia. The result is a sonic tapestry that defies categorization, inviting listeners on an exhilarating ride through uncharted musical territories.

Indeed, Changing Modes possesses a chameleonic quality, leaping from one radically dissimilar style to another with gusto and guile. Yet, amidst the sonic cacophony, there’s an undeniable tunefulness that permeates every note, anchoring the listener amidst the whirlwind of musical innovation.

With “Wax World,” Changing Modes beckons listeners into a sphere where musical boundaries cease to exist, where classical flourishes coalesce with punk energy, and where playful, clever lyrics draw on the rich tapestry of 80s new wave. It’s an album imbued with a sense of perpetual surprise, ensuring that just when you think you’ve got them figured out, Changing Modes will drop something new and utterly captivating in your path.

--prog-sphere.com

https://www.prog-sphere.com/2024/01/25/album-review-changing-modes-wax-world/