"Magnetic North" by Aqualung

Most of my friends are done with school for the summer. This makes me sad. As a result, IT'S BALLAD TIME.

And, when it comes to outstanding balladry, there are few artists better than Aqualung.

My favorite album of Aqualung's is "Magnetic North," because it has a bit more musical variety than "Words and Music." That being said, the backbone of this album is piano and vocals. Each song is very simple. There aren't too many different melodic ideas in each song, but what's there is really good.

The vocals are delivered in an understated way, with a slight British accent (in my opinion). The lyrics are also extremely well written. The one downside of this album is a result of this understated character of the album. The songs are not necessarily catchy and laden with hooks. You have to think about this music a bit, but if you invest the extra couple of minutes, the investment is well worth it.

There are some great guest vocals on this album as well, the best of which are from Sara Bareilles.

Overall, this album is a deep one, one of the deeper albums I've reviewed in a while, in fact. Trust me though. It's perfect for a cloudy summer day while you sit at your desk and wonder why you're not home for summer vacation yet.

My three favorite songs on the album are "New Friend," "Remember Us," and "Magnetic North."

Until next time, enjoy the music!

Andrew