Search for Yeti’s first full length album Dark So Soon offers a rich banquet of genres and melodies. The record oscillates between predicting a future filled with either dread or hope, while the band either softly establishes a tender ambience or plays catchy power pop. It’s no wonder the band can play such variance – all three members write songs and their influences range far and wide. There are snippets of folk and even country, while other moments are more similar to the fuzz driven shoegaze of My Bloody Valentine or the reverb drenched stadium rock of Pink Floyd. Much of the album is performed softly, tenderly and intimately, as if the performer and listener are close, but there’s enough songs where the band transforms into a traditional trio rock band.

The album was produced by Toby Lloyd at Tiny Triumph Records and it is mixed and balanced wonderfully. There seems to be acoustic guitars buried beneath much of the songs with a crisp kit and bouncy bass. But there’s far more than that occurring. Search for Yeti is Luke Marlow (lead vocals, keyboards and guitar), Sean Barker (drums and vocals) and the multi-instrumentalist Vincent Waide, who really shines on this record by providing the band with a wide range of tones from different instruments including bass, banjo, keyboard, mandolin, and lap steel guitar. The band could be referred to as rock, but that’s really selling them short. The song writing is sophisticated and intricate with thought-provoking lyrics that consider the doubts of modern life, and ultimately, the acceptance of others and the self in a cruel world. The mysterious, minimal album cover captures this sense by featuring what appears to be a wharf from which the viewer cannot ascertain much of what is beyond but is invited to make a leap of faith.

The album kicks off with Alice which showcases an upbeat, melodic bouncy riff after a short ‘soundscape’ introduction. The band here is playing a good balance between the pop and the ambience. Marlow sings tenderly with confessional lyrics “Lonely destination, greeted me and you, my record might be shaky, but this time we’ll see it through”. Throughout the song he marvels “What a time to be alive” as if to introduce the listener to the strangest time period in history and the context for the album: the present day.

Second song Fragment offers a minor key with a moodier attitude driven by vigorous strumming. The lyrics and singing here are more spirited: “And it’s been a while since you’ve been gone”. There’s a great tambourine shaking break, and then the percussion and soft background singing brings the embers of the song back to life, “I know and you know and they know, still be here when we all go” are sung like a mantra to reach a grand conclusion.

Fear of Drowning (a single already released) is more indie pop with a slight Irish waltz timing, while Out To Dry is a tender, softly spoken ballad joined by the band half-way through. There’s another ballad, perhaps the most affectionate and (what sounds like) the most personal song on the record, A Cold Wind which offers the lyrics “a cold wind blew in from off shore, I held you close to me, for you can be, who you want to be”.

I feel here the record may have lost some energy with so many soft songs close together, but End Of Days with its country tinged rock comes to save the day. Only the lyrics are rather depressing with, “Apocalypse soon coming… should get our act together, barricade the door”. Still, the band positively shimmers with layers of electric guitar and competent drumming that builds excitement, even if it features lyrics such as, “if this is the end of days then I don’t want to know, keep it a surprise it’s the best way to go”.

Talking of surprises, the next song What You Mean To Me is a total anthemic rock song. Built on a simple but catchy riff, the song is an absolute must for a live gig. Here, the lyrics deal with the mundane and somehow connects normal life to an expression of devotion, such as “things take time, like grocery lines, so wait and see what you mean to me” with the title of the song repeating throughout. The chorus of “Can you hear me?” is total, unashamedly Beatles referencing in all its sunny glory, especially when Marlow sings sweetly: “the carousel can go another round” as if to challenge the despair of the song before.

The record ends with two outstanding, epic tracks, The One and Red. These two tracks somewhat work together as two parts of a larger piece, and I can’t imagine them being separated or being anywhere else on the record. On The One Marlow admits he can “…feel myself getting deep, into something I’ve always seen” as if waking from a trance while the band plays a hypnotic riff reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Kashmir’.

Then, after the awakening, the epiphany. Red takes the listener on a carpet ride into the murky clouds above Wellington harbour, holding back the intensity the band is capable of but teasing it for nearly four minutes in Gilmour guitar goodness. At 3:52 the band produces one of the most beautiful moments recorded in history with ethereal tones floating far above the calm rhythm foundation as the lyrics “Run to ground, move forward” are sung and then repeated far later in the song as we finally come down from wherever the band took us to teach us a valuable lesson about ourselves.

The feeling after listening to the album is one of being refreshed and invigorated. Often rock albums might leave you a little exhausted and not at all keen to hear those instruments or tonal range for a little while. Quite the opposite with Dark So Soon; having been introduced to the incredibly wide range of sounds that a rock band is actually capable of, I found myself listening to more music shortly afterwards, (and after a second listening, I began playing music again).

Apart from the obvious acts already mentioned, there’s also elements of The Decemberists, The Pixies, The Lemonheads, Mumford and Sons and even Split Enz.

The songs stick with you, dream-like in their form. The lyrics are vague enough to apply to a wide range of emotions and for the listener to interpret as they wish. I wasn’t sure about the song order at first, but after careful consideration, I can see the logic in the track listing. The power pop hits stronger when you’ve been waiting for it, and the magical ghostly moments are best to drift through, unsure of when they will end. One to meditate on for sure.

• 1
  Head Like A Hole
• 2
  Fraser Ross
• 3
  Horror Story
• 4
  Fur Patrol
• 5
  Michelle Rounds
• 6
  L.A.B.
• 7
  Devilskin
• 8
  Coridian
• 9
  The Boondocks
• 10
  Late to Chelsea

• 
  Goodshirt @ Festival of Lights - Pukekura Park, New Plymouth - 21/12/2024
• 
  The Slacks @ Festival of Lights - Pukekura Park, New Plymouth - 21/12/2024
• 
  LOST BiRD @ Space Academy, Christchurch - 15/12/2024
• 
  Just Janie @ Space Academy, Christchurch - 15/12/2024

• 1
  APT.
  ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
• 2
  DIE WITH A SMILE
  Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
• 3
  BIRDS OF A FEATHER
  Billie Eilish
• 4
  TASTE
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 5
  I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
  Gracie Abrams
• 6
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 7
  SAILOR SONG
  Gigi Perez
• 8
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 9
  A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
  Shaboozey
• 10
  GOOD LUCK, BABE!
  Chappell Roan

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