sandiegopunk.com

Weatherbox was a relief for me to hear. As journalist and avid music fan I am often bombarded by waves of mediocre bands whose writing is indolent and instrumentation lacks substance. I have been listening to The Cosmic Drama for over three weeks and struggled at first, with how to communicate their sound. Yet, after many late nights sitting in my kitchen, indulging in The Cosmic Drama, I believe I have come up with a description that does this indie band justice.

Weatherbox is the antithesis of the idea of making music for the sake of just making something. Their sound provides listener a chance to experience a paradigm shift when listening to tracks like, “Two Satchels of Light” or “Contactus the Little Green Man” due to the musicianship and abstract lyrics. Weatherbox’s sound is calculated and meticulous. Each verse, each riff, right down to the guitar effects and the intonation in Brian Warren’s voice lends itself to a sound that is as smart as it is fun and accessible.

What is unique is how the band and in particular, Warren, coils those sounds together. For the sake of communication to you I will say that their sound is progressive, intelligent, indie-punk-rock. Yes, I did just use multiple genres to further genrelize a band that cannot be easily genrelized. The influences and styles at play in these songs are dynamic, giving Weatherbox  a dense, layered sound, which is always topped with Warrens’ throaty, sort of nasally vocals. The songs have a lot shifting intensity, and an ebb flow feel dominates the album.

The Cosmic Drama is an innovative album, which is aesthetically awkward and stylistically strange. This is the reason I returned to this album time and time again.  I always find something new, some hidden sound, or new verse to ponder upon each listening. They are mix of existential ideas, introspective and highly personal writing intertwined with uniquely crafted music. This is to say, they have a sound that is easily identifiable given them a niche in today’s niche crazy industry. There are punk elements, low-fi acoustic tracks and art rock, amongst a host of other styles. The Cosmic Drama is an amalgamation of all that is smart, progressive and artistic about So-Cal’s music scene. This is going to be a stand out record in 2009. To hear more about Weatherbox, to find a show near you or to download tracks visit www.myspace.com/weatherbox. 

Kevin Farr