Music Review: Hemmingbirds – The Vines of Age

By Anna Strickland
KTSW Music

Website: http://hemmingbirds.com/
Album: The Vines of Age
Self-released, 2012

Since I picked up this album, I have not been able to stop listening. The energy coming from the lead vocalist is contagious. I listen and I want to change the world, run a few miles and dance all night. I’m not sure how others feel when listening to great music, but this is usually what it inspires in me. It is rare when a band can perfectly align the energy from the melody with that of the vocalist’s and make it blend just right, but these guys do it well. Their build-ups are all that any indie rock fan could ask for. I am not typically a big fan of said genre; I like my music a bit more upbeat to match my neurotic personality. However, these Hemmingbirds have the quintessential combination of mellow jams infused with get-up-and-dance Rock. It rings in my ears, and lets me know that everything is going to be all right. Just listen to the beat, the vocals and the message. All else will fall into place. If you guys have never experienced this feeling before, you’re doing it wrong. Just listen to Vineyards or My Love, Our Time Is Now and you’ll understand.

This band, native to Chicago, based their name around Ernest Hemmingway and a Fleet Foxes song about hummingbirds and meadowlarks. As an avid reader, the name of the band intrigued me from the beginning. They released their debut album, Death Wave, in May of 2010. The Vines of Age is the group’s sophomore album, but it speaks volumes on the maturity of their musical talents. The band is made up of a plethora of instruments, including: drums, guitar, bass, percussion, viola and keyboards.

Unfortunately, these rockers’ next and seemingly last show of the year is in March in Ohio. So you lucky devils traversing the great state of Ohio during Spring Break, make sure you stop by Columbus and have a righteous jam out session with the Hemmingbirds. I’m sure their live shows are electrifying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx17x7g7RxY